Occupation stops work on Bute Park Bridge

A group of us from BPA gathered this morning to protest at the destruction of Bute Park by Cardiff Council.

We enjoyed a hearty breakfast as the protest got under way before the workers arrived on site!

This was just a short protest...no one chained themselves or lay in the path of the diggers yet or climbed the trees.

Not yet...!!!

Just see the park beyond that is soon going to be totally destroyed...for articulated lorries..

Watch the slide show!

We are accused of spreading “misinformation”

WalesOnline - News - Cardiff News - Bute Park protesters in ...

20 Aug 2009 ... CAMPAIGNERS against the building of a road into Bute Park have been... Bute Park protesters in ‘misinformation’ fury Aug 20 2009 by Martin Shipton, South Wales Echo Add a comment Recommend CAMPAIGNERS against the building of a road into Bute Park have been accused of spreading “misinformation” in leaked emails written by council members to the judges of a top environmental award. Last month, the city centre park retained its Green Flag despite the furore over the building of a bridge and access road into the park. Correspondence disclosed to campaigner Anne Greagsby under the Freedom of Information Act shows that when an unidentified judge expressed concern about the possibility of a demonstration by members of the Bute Parks Alliance pressure group during their visit, an unnamed Cardiff Council officer accused the group of putting out “misinformation”. The correspondence also shows that the council entertained the judges to lunch at Cardiff Castle. Professor Kevin Morgan, chair of the campaign group Bute Parks Alliance said: “The nature of this correspondence clearly illustrates the deeply flawed nature of the Green Flag judging process. “The public believes that an award of this kind is given independently – but the interaction between the judges and Cardiff Council reveals that this is definitely not the case. “Furthermore, the judges did not even bother to find out why there is so much public opposition to the council’s development plans for Bute Park. “Work is now under way on the new lorry access bridge, creating a huge scar in what was once a lush and green woodland belt. “If the proposed 20 foot-wide road into Cooper’s Field, lorry turning circle, and nursery development are carried out, a significant area of the park will be unrecognisable. “But how much of this was revealed to the judges? And how many probing questions did they ask? “Both the council and the judges lack moral integrity in their attitude to the Green Flag, rendering it meaningless.” Paul Todd, manager of the Green Flag Award Scheme, which is run by a partnership that includes Keep Britain Tidy, BTCV and GreenSpace, said: “Our judges are trained to a very high standard to assess sites and decide whether they merit an award or not. “In this case they were made aware of the concerns that had been expressed about Bute Park by members of the public. When making their decision, they took all factors into consideration and made a judgment.”

Dodgy Bute Park Judges.

Suspiciously chummy correspondence between council and judges. If that’s

independent judging, I’m a banana!

http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/green_flag_award_meetings_and_co#incoming-40045 What do you think of this? I cannot understand this. Why judges for a park award should be kept secret? Cover up so there must be something to hide ? And accusing protester's of misinformation is appalling, the judges should have arranged to meet them and not excepted that as true. Judges told ...Protesters "refused to listen to what we have told them"! And the judges asking for advice...!!! One of the judges says "having a wobble about whether of not to enter the fray! I would be grateful if you could give me a bit of a steer about how delicate the situation is or not.. as i don't want to get embroiled in a political muddle. Is this a big issue for you and your team? I like a challenge but would appreciate a heads up so I can make a more informed decision about whether to come to Bute or not. Are we likely to be lobbied on the day? A girl needs to know. Any help or advice advice you can offer will be much appreciated." so the judges are Wined and dined by the parks department and come up with goods.. Cardiff council GAG Note they Cardiff council are telling me we have to keep qiuiet about this and talk of copywright which is beyond my comprehensions. Freedom of information respsonse.. My Ref: MAT(P)/SD/2059/CLP0012 G00158 14 August, 2009 Anne Greagsby [FOI #16595 email] My Ref: MAT(P)/SD/2059/CLP0012 G00158 14 August, 2009 Anne Greagsby [FOI #16595 email] Dear Ms Greagsby ELECTORAL DIVISION: CATHAYS GREEN FLAG JUDGING OF BUTE PARK Thank you for your request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 about correspondence relating to the Green Flag judging of Bute Park in 2009 received on 7th August 2009. We have considered your request and enclose the following information: Various emails between Council officers and the judging team, and the itinerary for the judging visit. Most of the documents that we provide in response to Environmental Information Regulations 2004 requests will be subject to copyright protection. In most cases the copyright will be owned by Cardiff Council. The copyright in some documents may be owned by another person or organisation, as indicated on the documents themselves. You are free to use any documents supplied for your own use, including for non-commercial research purposes. The documents may also be used for news reporting. However, any other type of re-use, for example by publishing the documents or issuing copies to the public will require the permission of the copyright owner. Details of the arrangements for reusing the material owned by Cardiff Council can be found on our website at or by contacting the Information Manager, Room 111, County Hall, Cardiff CF10 4UW (Phone 029 2087 3346). For documents where the copyright is not owned by Cardiff Council, you would need to apply to the copyright owner to obtain their permission for re-use. We supply this information based on your original request. If this information does not answer your enquiry or if you feel we have not fully understood your request, please contact me to clarify your exact requirements. If you have any queries or concerns or are in any way dissatisfied with the handling of your request please do not hesitate to contact me. Yours sincerely Jon Maidment Operational Manager Parks show quoted sections Dear Ms Greagsby ELECTORAL DIVISION: CATHAYS GREEN FLAG JUDGING OF BUTE PARK Thank you for your request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 about correspondence relating to the Green Flag judging of Bute Park in 2009 received on 7th August 2009. We have considered your request and enclose the following information: Various emails between Council officers and the judging team, and the itinerary for the judging visit. Most of the documents that we provide in response to Environmental Information Regulations 2004 requests will be subject to copyright protection. In most cases the copyright will be owned by Cardiff Council. The copyright in some documents may be owned by another person or organisation, as indicated on the documents themselves. You are free to use any documents supplied for your own use, including for non-commercial research purposes. The documents may also be used for news reporting. However, any other type of re-use, for example by publishing the documents or issuing copies to the public will require the permission of the copyright owner. Details of the arrangements for reusing the material owned by Cardiff Council can be found on our website at or by contacting the Information Manager, Room 111, County Hall, Cardiff CF10 4UW (Phone 029 2087 3346). For documents where the copyright is not owned by Cardiff Council, you would need to apply to the copyright owner to obtain their permission for re-use. We supply this information based on your original request. If this information does not answer your enquiry or if you feel we have not fully understood your request, please contact me to clarify your exact requirements. If you have any queries or concerns or are in any way dissatisfied with the handling of your request please do not hesitate to contact me. Yours sincerely Jon Maidment Operational Manager Parks show quoted sections

Blind leading the blind!

Blind group welcomes new access plans for Bute Park
WalesOnline
A SUPPORT group for the blind has spoken out to welcome Cardiff council's plans to build new road access into Bute Park. The Cardiff Institute for the Blind ...

Which is safer ..a park with articulated lorries or a park withput articulated lorries ..think again!!

It would be useful if this group spoke to us about the plans. I would like to know what misleading information they have been given. The 'road' will be safer for some people who are trying to access the castle but it is NOT safe per se to have articulated lorries in the park nor environmentally sound. A raised road and turning circle up to half a metre high in some places with one in 5 slope as Pat Thompson (project manager) told me is far from safe.
The less people the greater the temptation for the lorries to speed.

Lindsay Cuddy HLF conflict of interest?

Lindsay Cuddy leads the Conservation Team within the Strategic Planning Division at Cardiff County Council. The team prepares policy and guidance on the historic built environment and works with others to ensure its protection and enhancement in development or restoration work.

Did Lindsey Cuddy who is on the Heritage Lottery - HLF committee for wales sept 2008

ever report all the objections received by Cardiff council who employ her to the HLF as requested.

HLF Members were asked to let Martin Buckridge know of they received objections to The Bridge or lodge at Bute Park.

Did Cllrs know of Lindsay Cuddys role in the HLF?

I keep getting asked about the HLF role in all this and I am afraid that it is a key culprit in the building of the massive bridge!

HLF letter to me

"However we are conscious that the success of the HLF project will depend on the success of the new access bridge, and in particular the acceptance of the bridge by all users of the Park including local residents and community groups" Jennifer Stewart Heritage lottery fund

HLF & cardiff Council Execut_E_07_09_11_A_rep_R-2.pdf

5. In June 2006 the HLF approved a Stage 1 grant of £3.1m towards the overall cost of the project which amounts to £5.6m. The Stage 1 grant specified that the Council needed to demonstrate a commitment to construct

the new vehicular access into Bute Park and the offer excluded a contribution from HLF to the Bridge.

Page 2 of 4

6. On the 20 August 2007 the National Heritage Lottery wrote to the Council confirming that:-

“the Heritage Lottery Fund view the position of a new bridge over the docks feeder to provide access into the park from North Road as an essential element of the Bute Park Restoration Project.

“Accordingly Cardiff County Council will be required to demonstrate a firmcommitment to the bridge and provide a construction start date as part of its Phase 2 application to The Heritage Lottery Fund. Without this HLF will not

be in a position to commit its funding to the Bute Park Restoration works”.

7. Following the Stage 1 approval, a Stage 2 bid will be submitted in October 007 and subject to satisfactorily meeting the commitments and requirements of the HLF then confirmation of approval of the Stage 2 bid is

expected in spring 2008. Without this commitment and construction start

date from the Council by October 2007 there can be no Stage 2 bid to HLF.

Green Flag Secret judges

How did Bute Parks get a green flag award?

Secret judges! Why is there no public report? Why all the secrecy? see their letter below..

I wrote to them to ask but the judges must remain a secret! That makes me think that the judges may have undisclosed interests that make them bias towards the present park management. Otherwise there is no explaination for giving the award. as the key criteria are not met.

Healthy, Safe, and Secure
The reason given for the new bridge is that the present situation is not safe with so many pedestrians sharing a path with articulated lorries so why did the judges think this was ok?

Conservation and Heritage
Did the judges view the extreme damage caused by the work on the 'bridge/road' before planning permission and recent work affecting nesting birds also contrary to planning permission.

A management plan is about the future and policy and as on your own website states
'clearly and adequately addresses all the above criteria and any other relevant aspects of the park or green space’s management. The plan must be actively implemented and regularly reviewed. Financially sound management of the park or green space must also be demonstrated.'

The 'on going community involvement and partnership working' is sadly lacking as I pointed out that 5,000 people are not happy with the park policy and signed a petition. Another 1.600 on facebook object. These people have all serious concerns and have not been listened to.

All Lab cllrs, Tory and indepenent cllrs all oppose this plan.
Why is there no public report? Why all the secrecy?

From the green flag award...Paul Todd Green Flag Award Scheme Manager

Thank you once again for your email regarding Bute Park.

As a charity established as a private organisation, we are not covered by the FOIA, and therefore we are not required to provide the information you requested, i.e. the names of the Judges.

However, we do wish to be helpful and transparent in our dealing. I have therefore been in touch with both judges who assessed the site and shared with them the concerns that you have raised. They were able to confirm that the issues surrounding the development of the park were fully discussed with the parks management during their assessment.

The Green Flag Award Judges are asked to assess a site based on the management plan for that site and what they observe and discuss during their visit. Their decision is not based on future developments but on what is viewed at that point in time. The purpose of the scheme is to recognise well managed, quality green spaces that meet the needs of the users. If any future developments effect this in a detrimental way then future judges will take this into account when making their assessment.

This year both judges agreed that the park deserved a Green Flag Award for its high standards of maintenance, management practices, innovation and on going community involvement and partnership working, a decision which the scheme fully endorses.

I hope you find this information useful.

Kind regards

Paul Todd

Green Flag Award Scheme Manager

Keep Britain Tidy

Elizabeth House

The Pier

Wigan

WN3 4EX

Tel: 01942 612611

Fax: 01942 824778

Email: paul.todd@keepbritaintidy.org

Web site: greenflagaward.org.uk

Work started in breach of planning conditions

Bute Parks Alliance - Campaign Update!

Council intransigent - campaign develops nationwide strategy
| Work started 'illegally' on bridge and road | Opposition councillors unite to request moritorium | Campaign shifts to halt 70 year erosion of registered historic parks |

Work started in breach of planning conditions

Council contractors began clearing the bridge site two weeks ago in contrary to the planning condition protecting nesting birds till the end of July. The Council gave itself permission to ignore its own planning conditions! All the vegetation has been stripped and a massive ramp constructed running from North Road down to the edge of the feeder canal (see picture). The footpath along the canal, the ‘Bute Walk’, has been fenced off. We believe the bridge has been prefabricated and so could be in place within a few weeks.

A picture of 70 years erosion of public space
However this is by no means the end of our campaign. We are fighting to stop the incremental erosion of the whole central park complex, so not only Bute Park, but also Pontcanna Fields, Llandaff Fields and Sophia Gardens. In the last 70 years the green space which originally ran as far as Llandaff Cathedral has been gradually eroded to commercial developments and buildings. In the last 20 years this has speeded up enormously and nearly half the original parks space has been built on, privatised or fenced off. Individually some of these may seem justifiable but the incremental impact is catastrophic – see the mapping of erosion on our website or contact us and we’ll send you a map.

Council's plans still lack proven justification
The full impact of the Bute Park proposals is in the roads, paths and commercial developments and even if the bridge is built we will continue campaign to change the Council’s policies. Not only are roads being widened in the northern end of Coopers Field and in the world standard arboretum further hard surface paths and roads are proposed elsewhere. With climate change threatening the world there is simply no justification for the Council to drive huge articulated lorries into their grade 1 heritage park to deliver bedding plants from Holland. And it seems clear that while more events may not be on the cards larger commercial events are certainly intended.

Opposition unites to propose moratorium
We have already made a major impact on the Council and councillors throughout Cardiff. At the June Council meeting Independent, Labour and Conservative councillors united to propose a halt to development work in the four parks to allow proper public consultation. (Download the leaflet we distributed to councillors.) This proposal was defeated by the Liberal Democrat and Plaid Cymru Executive by a procedural manoeuvre. An online recording (edited to just the motion) is here which makes dismal viewing for anyone who thinks local democracy is healthy in Cardiff. A transcript of this will be on the website soon. Those of you who see the South Wales Echo may have seen the extraordinary outburst by the Council leader Rodney Berman accusing us of being a Labour Party front organisation. In fact our proposal to halt development and allow a proper consultation about the future of the central parks has been adopted by the Council’s own Scrutiny Committee which spent several months taking evidence rather than indulging in knee-jerk face saving diatribes.

Council avoids European Directives on Environmental Impact Assessment
We have had legal advice that the Council is in breach of its legal obligation to undertake a full environmental assessment of the impact of its plans on such an important heritage green space. We are awaiting guidance as to whether we can get legal aid to take a case against the Council. Even if we can’t, it is clear that the Council is ignoring European directives which the Welsh Assembly Government is fully signed up to. So we intend to take up our case with the Assembly. We'll also be co-ordinating a petition to WAG to safeguard historic parklands throughout Wales.

So what can you do?
Download a colour poster from the website and put it in your front window; give one to your friends and neighbours. If we can get posters in windows the politicians sit up and take notice, as the campaign against carpark charges and various local development campaigns have shown.

We are printing a leaflet which shows the 70 year decline of the parks. If you can deliver some in your street let us know; direct personal contact is the most effective.

Best of all please join us - see the links alongside. And, of course, we welcome any donations:

Yours,
Professor Kevin Morgan Bute Parks Alliance

Join as a member
Bute Parks Alliance is now an unicorporated association and you can join. The easiest way is to go to the new website and download a form (actually why not download several so you can get neighbours and friends to join too?)