Last updated: October 2021
In the course of 7 years from 2010, the Newcastle City Council's budget for Parks has been cut by 90%. A public consultation was carried out in partnership with the National Trust and National Lottery Heritage Fund, on the proposed transfer of the operation, delivery and maintenance of parks and allotments from the government to a new Charitable Trust (Charity). Under the new governing model, the land would remain owned by Newcastle City Council, and the trust would be able to generate additional revenue to maintain the parks. (1, 2, 3). The proposal was accepted and the Urban Green Newcastle, an independent charity was formed in 2019, taking over the management and maintenance of the 33 parks and 61 allotment sites in Newcastle upon Tyne. (10) Urban Green Newcastle generates its own revenue to pay for operations via fundraising, grants and commercial activities which then are reinvested back into the parks and allotments. The aim is to cover the annual running costs of £2m pounds. (10)
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Parks and urban forests
- Large urban parks or forests
- Pocket parks/neighbourhood green spaces
- Other
- Community gardens and allotments
- Allotments
Key challenges
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Green space creation and/or management
- Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)
- Effective management
Focus
Maintenance and management of urban nature, Improved governance of green or blue areas
Project objectives
1. Development of a financially sustainable business and governance model for operating, delivering and maintaining parks and allotments in Newcastle.
2. The transfer of responsibilities from the local authority to a newly created charity that creates new revenue generation opportunities while it stays committed to improving the way the council deliver parks and allotments (keeping them in public ownership, safe, free to use, and making sure that local people, community groups and partners are fully involved in the future delivery of the service)(1, 2, 3)
Accordingly the goal setting of the Urban Green Newcastle as the maintaining body of Newcastle parks and allotments includes:
- Increasing of annual visitor numbers across by improving and enhancing the visitor experience.
- Increasing the number of trees on the estate.
- Boosting the number of volunteering hours in Newcastle parks and allotments.
- Working toward all parks to obtain Green Flag awards.
- Increasing the value of urban green spaces contributing to the health and well-being of the people of Newcastle by proactively promoting new activities and opportunities.
- Aiming to be carbon negative by removing more carbon from the atmosphere than our activities create, to positively address the climate change emergency (10)
Implementation activities
A public consultation was running (Jan. - Apr. 2017) on the proposed transfer of the operation, delivery and maintenance of parks and allotments from to a new Charitable Trust. (2).
Since its formation in 2019, Urban Green Newcastle has started to develop individual action plans for each of the city's 33 parks, which are being carried out in consultation with local communities. As part of the process, the charity will be setting up park action groups so park users and stakeholders can work with them and help identify challenges and opportunities (10)
Also, the consultation document point out that "Running a park involves lots of activities, all of which need to be funded, for example:
- Cutting the grass
- Planting, weeding, pruning
- Tree inspections and care
- Litter picking, cleaning, waste removal
- Running events
- Raising funds" (2)
Main beneficiaries
- Local government/Municipality
- Citizens or community groups
Governance
Management set-up
- Co-governance with government and non-government actors
Type of initiating organisation
- Local government/municipality
- Private foundation/trust
- Researchers/university
- Citizens or community group
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
Newcastle City Council is worked in collaboration with the National Trust and the Lottery Heritage Fund to deliver this project. The National Trust is a charity and completely independent of Government. (3)
Furthermore, researchers at Newcastle University’s Open Lab were working with Newcastle City Council to hold workshops and online discussions (inviting residents, allotment holders, the business community, local charitable groups, friends of parks and other interested parties to participate). (4)
Since the formation of Urban Green Newcastle in 2019, it acts as an independent charity responsible for the for the management, maintenance, restoration, development and protection of 33 parks and 61 allotment sites in Newcastle upon Tyne (10) The charity works with volunteers, Associations and Friends of groups and park action groups of park users and stakeholders to identify opportunities and challenges. (10)
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
No
... a national policy or strategy?
Yes
(In its recent report (State of UK Public Parks 2016) Heritage Lottery Fund outlined the financial challenges parks were facing in light of local authority budget reductions and called on local and national government, communities and businesses to explore innovative ways to fund and maintain public parks. This project will enable the in-depth testing of one such approach. (3, 2) )
... a local policy or strategy?
Yes
(This project is being implemented in response to reductions in local government budgets, reductions which are ordered and determined by national government.The Communities and Local Government Committee published a report titled Public Parks Inquiry on the future of parks. The report outlines the considerable challenges local authorities faced in light of reduced budgets and pressures to increase housing. (3)
Also, Green Infrastructure is addressed as one aspect of the local authority’s strategy plans. (9)
)
Financing
Total cost
€100,000 - €500,000
Source(s) of funding
- Funds provided by non-governmental organization (NGO)
- Private Foundation/Trust
Type of funding
- Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
- Donations
Non-financial contribution
Type of non-financial contribution
- Provision of labour
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
- Citizens (e.g. volunteering)
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Unknown
Economic impacts
Socio-cultural impacts
Type of reported impacts
No impacts reported
Presence of formal monitoring system
Unknown
Presence of indicators used in reporting
No evidence in public records
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
No evidence in public records
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
References
1. Let's talk Newcastle. (2017). The future of Newcastle's park and allotments. Project Summary. Newcastle. Accessed on October 27, 2020, Source link
2. Newcastle City Council. (2017). Newcastle explores transfer of parks to trust (Have Your Say). Council News. Website not available
3. Heritage Lottery Fund. (2017). Newcastle explores transfer of parks to trust. Accessed on October 27, 2020, Source link
4. Newcastle University. (2017). Newcastle residents invited to give their views on city’s parks. Accessed on October 27, 2020, Source link
5. Newcastle City Council. (2004). Newcastle's green space strategy. Green spaces...your spaces. Website not available
6. Newcastle City Council. (2004). Green spaces...using planning: Assessing local needs and standards. Background paper. Website not available
7. National Trust. (n.d.). Rethinking Parks for the 21st Century. Website not available
8. House of Commons. (2017). Public parks: seventh report of session 2016-17. Communities and Local Government Committee. Accessed on October 27, 2020, Source link
9. Newcastle City Council. (2011). Core strategy and Urban Core AAP. Joint Technical Papers. Gateshead Council. NCC. Website not available
10. Urban Green Newcastle. (2019). About us. Accessed on October 26, 2020, Source link
2. Newcastle City Council. (2017). Newcastle explores transfer of parks to trust (Have Your Say). Council News. Website not available
3. Heritage Lottery Fund. (2017). Newcastle explores transfer of parks to trust. Accessed on October 27, 2020, Source link
4. Newcastle University. (2017). Newcastle residents invited to give their views on city’s parks. Accessed on October 27, 2020, Source link
5. Newcastle City Council. (2004). Newcastle's green space strategy. Green spaces...your spaces. Website not available
6. Newcastle City Council. (2004). Green spaces...using planning: Assessing local needs and standards. Background paper. Website not available
7. National Trust. (n.d.). Rethinking Parks for the 21st Century. Website not available
8. House of Commons. (2017). Public parks: seventh report of session 2016-17. Communities and Local Government Committee. Accessed on October 27, 2020, Source link
9. Newcastle City Council. (2011). Core strategy and Urban Core AAP. Joint Technical Papers. Gateshead Council. NCC. Website not available
10. Urban Green Newcastle. (2019). About us. Accessed on October 26, 2020, Source link