Green flag award NOT GREEN

It is beyond belief that Bute Park deserved a green flag award this year...Scandalous! The award is Not 'green' at all!!! Why are the JUDGES identities a secret even with a FOI request? So we can only conclude that the judges must be politically motivated!!  Are you not aware that After a site special scientific interest was destroyed for a road for lorries After CHAMPION TREES LOPPED BACK FOR LORRIES TO PASS After dozens of tress chopped down for building a theatre and a huge bridge for lorries After promoting events rather than preserving the environment and ecosystem After increasing the number of vehicles in the listed park Absoutely Fails on key criteria such as Sustainability, Conservation and heritage, Community involvement and management!! A disgrace - Green flag award is appearing totally corrupt!

 THE REPLY

 th..

ank you for your comments concerning Bute Park.

Green Flag Award Judges, come from a variety of backgrounds, including ecology, environmental issues, nature conservation, horticulture, community engagement, parks and landscape management and other related disciplines.

All judges are volunteers who give their time freely, and are passionate about quality green spaces that can be enjoyed by everyone. They are independent arbiters of the scheme and ensure that the standards set by the awards are high, and fair. Every judge completes a thorough training course, and new judges are mentored by colleagues who have a number of years experience with the scheme.

The Green Flag Award Judges are asked to assess each green space on the management plan for the site and what they observe and discuss during their visit. The purpose of the scheme is to recognise well managed, quality green spaces that meet the needs of all users. The judges who assessed Bute Park have agreed that the park has met the required standards to merit receiving an award this year. A decision that the Green Flag Plus Partnership fully supports and endorses.

As a charity established as a private company, Keep Britain Tidy is not subject to the Freedom of Information Act, and as such we are not required to respond to requests made under this act. We do, however, aim to respond to as many requests as possible. On this occasion you are asking for personal data and as such I must adhere to the rules set out in the Data Protection Act, which therefore prevents me from supplying the information you have requested, which is personal data of the judges.

Please let me assure you that from my own personal experience of observing the judging of a park, I am totally confident that the judges have made a full, robust and completely unbiased assessment of Bute Park, and that the decision to award a Green Flag is the correct one.

We have noted your comments concerning Bute Park, and please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any further concerns about parks and green spaces in your local area.
Yours sincerely

Lynsey Atherton

Public Information Officer

==================

Keep Britain Tidy

Elizabeth House

The Pier

Wigan

WN3 4EX

Telephone: 01942 612602

Fax: 01942 824778

E-mail: enquiries@keepbritaintidy.org

Website: www.keepbritaintidy.org

Not so green flag Bute park,

Leader under fire over park politics claims

Green party activists oppose road for articulated lorries in Bute Park! No surprise! Councillor Berman

said he and deputy council leader Neil McEvoy had recognised a number of the Bute Parks

Campaigners at a recent meeting as party members, including former Green Party candidate Anne Greagsby!

City park retains its Green Flag

Jul 20 2009 by David James, South Wales Echo

BUTE Park has retained its Green Flag status despite the threat of new road access hanging over the Grade I listed parklands, it was revealed today.

Judges have given the city centre parklands the award alongside three other Cardiff parks, Roath Park, Victoria Park and Grange Gardens.

In order to achieve Green Flag status the judges needed to be satisfied that all the parks met key criteria for access, safety, conservation, heritage, community involvement and overall management.

Judges visited all the parks and spoke to both staff and public before reaching their decisions.

Councillor Nigel Howells, executive member leisure, said: “I am delighted that four Cardiff parks have been awarded Green Flags.

“I think the quality of green spaces in this city is unrivalled and this award underlines the hard work Cardiff council has undertaken in preserving and maintaining our parks.

“With Bute Park in particular I am especially delighted as the judges were given details about our improved access plans as well as the £5.6m restoration project, supported by a £3.1m grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund, to restore, enhance and help people learn about the many historic features in the park.”

The proposed work in Bute Park has provoked a campaign by users of the park who have argued that a £1.4m lorry bridge and expanded roadways in the park further encroach on Victorian parklands that have been shrinking steadily for the last 50 years.

The Green Flag Award is the national standard for parks and green spaces in England and Wales.

Send you views on this award to the Green Flag Award:-
paul.todd@keepbritaintidy.org, lorraine.scanlon@keepbritaintidy.org,
tijen.onder@keepbritaintidy.org

• Public vote on Bute Park plan
  Jul 23 2009
• Leader under fire over park politics claims
  Jul 23 2009
• Park alliance playing politics, says Berman
  Jul 13 2009