CALL FOR CANDIDATES TO PLEDGE PARK PROTECTION

Green space charity Fields in Trust is calling on candidates in May’s elections to recognise the importance of our local parks and green spaces and sign a pledge committing to protect them from development if elected.

The charity says the Parks Protector Pledge contains six key points which set out how elected policymakers can work to protect, support and champion green spaces for good, both locally and nationally. Candidates standing for election to the Scottish Parliament, Senedd Cymru, London Assembly and elected Mayoralties in England are invited to make a public commitment to the Pledge.

Fields In Turst say following a year in which we have valued our local parks more than ever before, they are calling on candidates to demonstrate support for green spaces by joining 40 members of the UK Parliament, representing five different parties, who signed the Parks Protector Pledge at the 2019 General Election. Fields in Trust is also encouraging electors to ask their candidates how they will support local parks and green spaces if elected.

Chief Executive Helen Griffiths said, “We know from our original research that parks and green spaces contribute to community health and wellbeing. Parks and green spaces can address multiple policy challenges, including health improvement; tackling loneliness; addressing childhood obesity; benefitting the environment and delivering volunteer opportunities yet we also know that that they are not equitably distributed across the UK. So, we urge candidates to protect these vital public services and the positive benefits they deliver.

"Elected representatives can have a major impact on what happens to our green spaces. Comprehensive access to our most universal of public services is not something that is politically contested and by building cross-party support in championing the value of local parks, future legislative reform can protect local green spaces that matter to constituents."