Originally Posted by park381 (Post 671843)

Originally Posted by Neil (Post 671849)

But this thread is about calendar pictures not lottery bids. Tagging a new topic onto the end of another thread is not the way the forum is supposed to work.

Originally Posted by Gayle (Post 671864)

Please boys, stop squabbling - I've had to spend the last three nights looking after four, 7 year old boys backstage at panto and you're just as bad!

Now, on the subject in hand -

Friends of Rhyddings Park are aware of the lottery bid situation and will be discussing it at our next meeting on 12th February. Everybody who is interested is welcome to come and join in the discussion.

The lottery bid was 'withdrawn' because the council were advised that it would not be succesful in its current form. The council could have elected to keep the bid in the system but after being told it wouldn't stand much chance there was no point in doing that. If it had stayed in the system and failed then we wouldn't be able to apply again for something like five years. If the council withdrew it they can continue to work on it and resubmit it for the next round.

A couple of us have a meeting with Cllr Britcliffe in a week or so's time and the parks dept are invited. We were told many months ago that, should the bid fail, the council would immediately put money into essential maintenance i.e. paths. At this stage and until we meet with them we don't know exactly what that will entail.

However, the main point is that we're working together to improve the park. In the meantime, the Friends of Rhyddings Park group is applying for other funding to put other amenities into the park, (sometimes, the Friends of RP group is eligible to apply to different pots than the council).

Originally Posted by Gayle (Post 671864)

Please boys, stop squabbling - I've had to spend the last three nights looking after four, 7 year old boys backstage at panto and you're just as bad!

Originally Posted by jaysay (Post 671867)

Thanks Gayle, that's exactly how I read the article, it would appear that people can't wait to take a big stack to the council at every opportunity, like I've said before if you can do better get your backside in gear and have a do. the Problems with Rhyddings Park stems back to the time when councillors thought it was a good idea to let kids play football on bowling greens and the like, at the time there were 44 Labour councillors and 3 Tories

Originally Posted by park381 (Post 671910)

Who's taking a big stick to the Council, and as for your other comments about getting off ones backside and having a go, that could well happen taking in to account the increases in allowances nice little earner. :D
As for the problems with Rhyddings Park starting at the time there were 44 labour councillors and 3 Tories and kids being allowed to play football on the bowling greens, that is no excuse, there has been little or no money spent in that park in the last 10years other than the play area and were not the funds for that from another source, not the council. So please don't cloud the issue and blame the labour party. :D

Originally Posted by jaysay (Post 671914)

If all your interested in is money try the County Council, what Britcliffe gets paid is peanuts in comparison.

Originally Posted by park381 (Post 671947)

No worry, I am aware of the high level of expenses of some of the County Councillors, photo calls and complaints spring to mind.I would not call PB's expenses/payments peanuts, and I am sure there are a lot more people out there would welcome that sort of salary each year.It's a little over the basic wage level is it not.
You don't need to tell me about the demise of the park I lived in the area for 28 years, and saw the demise with my own eyes, however that still does not excuse the lack of maintenance funding over the last few years during the tory rule.

At the end of the day Rhyddings Park is in urgent need of restoring to it's former glory, be it via a Labour/Tory Council/Belated Lottery Grant/Efforts of the Friends of Rhyddings Park

Originally Posted by jaysay (Post 672074)

I agree that the Parks should be restored to their former glory, but in these days of spiralling costs, the general public would be up in arms if the council tax were to increase to pay for everything which they think is essential, its a catch 22 position, your damned if you do and damned if don't. The only way forward is by outside financing, which in the scheme of things isn't easy to come by either, that is unless you represent groups supporting Asylum seekers and the like, then money is pored in like its a bottomless pit

Originally Posted by park381 (Post 672107)

Not exactly true, we have gone though an era when money was plentiful, what happened to the parks budget in those days, it has not spent in the parks for years that's for sure.
If the maintenance element is left out of the next bid, may be there will be a chance. If you read CABE Space 2004 you will see that the lottery people ask for details of existing park management & maintenance plans, from the state of the park they are none existent.
Lets hope we are all around to see the park brought back to its former glory

Originally Posted by jaysay (Post 672529)

I don't think that will ever happen Park, time was when we had our own park keeper and staff, but those days have gone for good, councils of all colours are having to walk a fin line on financing these days, to turn the clock back would mean huge increases in Council Tax, which today is something neither the council nor the public will endorse, its just a sign of the times I'm afraid