Securing funding for Broomhill Park

Parks, play areas and urban greenspaces across Strood are suffering from years of neglect from Strood Tory councillors who have prioritised funding into Chatham two-way schemes and other regeneration projects. Local residents are fed up with graffiti, litter, dog-refuse bins overfilling and parks with inadequate lighting. Labour is therefore getting our hands dirty working with local residents to improve urban greenspaces for our community.

Broomhill - Poor lighting, graffiti and anti-social behaviour

Across Strood many of our parks are under serious threat from years of neglect. One such park is Broomhill situated in the centre of Strood. Used by families and residents it has suffered because of years of Tory neglect. The play area has had items removed without being replaced, the lighting which has been poor for years under the Tories remains a major concern to dog-walkers and residents concerned for safety. With dog-refuse bins uncollected across Medway and shrubery overgrown many are fed up with the Tory promises to maintain our greenparks when the evidence is clear. Our greenspaces in Strood are not receiving the attention they deserve.

Local residents have thus had to take matters into there own hands. The Labour team have been working locally with independent groups to improve our parks. Recently we joined 20+ residents of the Friends of Broomhill on Saturday 31st March to clear out scrub and litter from the major path parallel to the football pitch in Broomhill Park.

Commenting on the clearing of the path Stephen Hubbard stated that

"This path had been left overgrown and littered for years with no effort put in by the local council or Tory councillors to act to clear the path for the community. Local residents have had excuse after excuse from local representatives and decided that enough was enough. After several letters and phonecalls from angry residents they decided to act to take back their park by forming an independent group. This is the second of many projects undertaken by the Friends of Broomhill to improve the park for local residents. We are here today to do our bit and give 100% support to those who are having to act because the Tory council wont."

Secured funding

Local campaigners, working with independent groups secured £28,000 of funding in September 2008, to maintain the upkeep of the path and lighting. A campaign waged by local residents and the centrepoint of the local election campaign in May 2007. The work to clear the path will be undertaken by the Countryside ranger service who will be cutting back foliage. In addition lighting and the path will be resurfaced funded from the Members' priority fund.

Darnley Road - Graffiti

Campaigners are still working hard to impove other parks in Strood including on Darnley Road. This park which is used by residents for sport and dog-walking has also suffered because of the inaction of the tories to adequately maintain play areas and the area. Graffiti has been left for months in council parks across Medway and with dog-refuse uncollected its quickly becoming a place where residents feel unsafe to visit.

Commeting on the graffiti in the park Robert Heathfield stated that

"Parks in Strood join those in Hoo and Rochester. With many left unkept for years as money is squandered on road-schemes in Chatham. Its clear that problems have been occurring across Medway, but our current Strood councillors have done little for years. We are working locally to secure funding for our greenspaces"

Labour across Medway is committed to maintaining our greenspaces and parks. We will work with and not against local groups to maintain and promote our parks and we will not sell our urban spaces to private consortiums or building contractors.

The Friends of Broomhill (FoB) is an independent group of local residents. The group will be formally launched later this year, with a fun day to be held in the park.