Forum Topic

Council Tax and Public Parks

Due to the loss of Lammas Park I took the dogs to what used to be called Gunnersbury Park.It’s basically now a commercial entertainment site with loads of vehicles flying around at 20MPH+So Lammas is unusable Gunnersbury virtually unusable for a large (and nicest weather periods) chunk of the yearWalpole much the same as Gunnersbury as the festival site much much larger this yearTalk of areas of Elthorne being lostBoston Manor Park (I know that’s in Hounslow) has been a disaster zone for seven weeks When is it fraud that I’m paying Council Tax for a service (public amenity space) that I’m actually not able to use but it’s handed over to feather the nest of companies making money out of it?Queen of the Suburbs my wobbly backside!!

Colin Goodman ● 4d8 Comments

Could the same not be aimed at the old bill?Don’t respond to shoplifting etc

Peter Yale ● 2d

Well said, Simon. Almost every journey I make around Ealing or out of Ealing is through a park. This is the greenest area I've ever lived in.

Dominik Klimowski ● 3d

Ain't that the truth.

Rosco White ● 3d

We're lucky to have so many parks. Some areas have none.

Simon Wycombe ● 4d

There is no ONE point.  We use the parks for different reasons.  We walked through Walpole and Lammas parks yesterday afternoon.  We walk through them often.  Walpole is now practically clear after the festivals and it looks surprisingly good considering the number of people who have been visiting the different festivals inside and outside the fencing.  It is not impressive that many abuse the parks and that Walpole's loos were closed for about four or five months and that the parks generally are under constant attack from vandals.Lammas can still be walked through.  The fenced part of Lammas is now looking green again although not as flat as it once was when it was used for football. It has been messed around with badly, too much and out of use for far far too long.Gunnersbury music I haven't heard this year or the under the motorway thumping.  We don't visit those parks as often.  In fact the exhibition at Gunnersbury has been extended so we will probably visit again soon.  We usually walk everywhere.

Philippa Bond ● 4d

I walked through Lammas Park yesterday morning and it seemed perfectly 'usable'. Gunnersbury has three enormous concerts this weekend, starting tomorrow. Local residents are trying to get the council to scale back on these and the disruption they cause to normal park users but it's an uphill struggle.

Susan Kelly ● 4d

Well done Philippa, you’ve missed the point again.The public parks were established to give residents open spaces to exercise, relax and socialise. As the OP states large swathes of the local parks are no longer accessible for this purpose. Think of the impact on public health of that.Is it the case that you think parks should become the preserve of those who can afford to pay to use them?And have you seen the news today about government funding for local councils? Just over a year ago Sadiq Khan campaigned for Mayor boasting about how great it would be for London to have a Labour mayor and a Labour government. Hollow words indeed.

Simon Hayes ● 4d

And some of us think that a big problem is that the parks have already gone to the dogs!  Some of us thought that and protested to the Council about that over 30 years ago!Times change.  You might find some of the comedy funny and some of the great variety of music enjoyable.  John Shuttleworth was a rare treat and other well known names funny.  I can't say I enjoy the bad language of some nowadays.  I find it unfunny and pointless.  Milton Jones is funnier and I don't remember him finding the need to swear.  Yes, it's a shame that it is no longer as cheap (or free) as it was because there are fewer families but it's a good place and reason to meet up. Govt no longer gives the grants it once did to Councils and we are an increasingly aging and unhealthy population requiring more elderly care.

Philippa Bond ● 4d