DRAFT Manor Park
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DDRRAAFFTT MMaannoorr PPaarrkk MMaannaaggeemmeenntt PPllaann 22001100 -- 22001155 1 Foreword by Councillor Colin Hall This document is the latest in a number of management plans for our parks, and I am very happy to say that they have helped to maintain and raise the high standards in our flagship parks. The London Borough of Sutton’s parks make an important contribution to the borough being considered to be one of the greenest urban areas in the country, and in Sutton we are lucky to have nearly 1500 acres (just over 400 hectares) of parks and open spaces borough wide. Parks are central to people’s quality of life and play a vital role in improving health, providing places for children to play and learn, increasing the economic value of a town, providing space for wildlife and in making our communities safer and stronger. The 2006/07 Council survey carried out by IPSOS MORI showed that 80% of people in Sutton are satisfied with our parks and open spaces. This tells me how vital and important our parks and open spaces are to the people of Sutton, and that is why we have produced a series of management plans for key parks sites. The eventual aim for this park is to achieve the nationally recognised Green Flag award for excellence in provision of public parks. At the time of writing this, the Council holds three of these awards for The Grove Park, Cheam Park and Recreation Ground, and Oaks Park. This management plan sets out the actions required to bring this park to that level. Our vision for Manor Park is to provide a welcoming, high quality open and accessible park, to protect its unique historical character and to provide play facilities which meet the needs of our children and young people. An important part of producing this plan was extensive consultation with stakeholders, which has helped us to identify the key issues that are important to people and this is reflected in the plan. I would like to thank all those who took part. Sutton prides itself on its excellent parks and open spaces. I am confident that by implementing this management plan, we can ensure that Manor Park continues to improve and help to raise the profile of Sutton as an excellent borough to live and work in. Councillor Colin Hall Lead Councillor for the Environment 2 Contents Where are we now? Introduction …………………pg 4 Purpose of this Management Plan …………………pg 5 Wider Policy Context …………………pg 6 Local Context …………………pg 11 Sutton Parks Service Visions and Objectives …………………pg 12 Site Policies …………………pg 14 Site Description …………………pg 17 Site Facilities …………………pg 21 Staff Resources …………………pg 29 Maintenance Procedures …………………pg 30 The Arboriculture Section …………………pg 33 Key Partners …………………pg 34 Key Events …………………pg 35 Marketing …………………pg 36 Surveys …………………pg 38 Where do we want to get to? Vision for Manor Park …………………pg 41 Assessment and Analysis …………………pg 42 Aims and Objectives …………………pg 44 How will we get there? Action Plans …………………pg 45 Finance and Resources …………………pg 49 How will we know when we have arrived? …………………pg 50 Appendices Appendix 1 London Borough of Sutton Byelaws Appendix 2 Grounds Maintenance Schedule Appendix 3 Site History Appendix 4 Benches Policy Appendix 5 Organisational Structure Appendix 6 Rules and Regulations of Event Hire Appendix 7 Events List 2007/ 2008 Appendix 8 Tree Sponsorship Scheme Appendix 9 Postal Survey Appendix 10 Key Stakeholders Appendix 11 Questionnaire Results Appendix 12 Revenue Expenditure 3 Section 1. Where Are We Now? Name of site: Manor Park Manor Park Road Sutton Surrey SM1 4AF What is a management plan? “The primary reason for developing a management Plan is to aid the efficient and effective management of the site ” A management plan is a tool to look at how the park is managed now, and for gaining consensus on its future management and development. All key stakeholders should be involved in the consultation process in producing the plan, in order to help shape the future management to their expectations. The plan must hold relevant technical information addressing site management and control issues. The plan presents an opportunity to collate a wealth of information that Sutton’s Park Service possesses about a site into one comprehensive document. This management plan will allow residents to access information and understand the management of the park. It will allow anyone reading it to assess whether short and medium term objectives have been met. Author: Dominic Aslangul, Assistant Parks Manager People responsible for this management plan: Mark Dalzell Dominic Aslangul Head of Parks and Highways Assistant Parks Manager London Borough of Sutton London Borough of Sutton 24 Denmark Road 24 Denmark Road Carshalton Carshalton SM5 2JG. SM5 2JG Tel: +44 (020 8770 5070) Tel: +44 (020 8770 5070) Fax: +44 (020 8770 4101) Fax: +44 (020 8770 4101) Email: [email protected] E: [email protected] Writing Timescale: June 2008 to February 2010 Approved: Adopted: To be reviewed: Provisional March 2015 4 What is the purpose of this management plan? The plan will inform all stakeholders on the management approach of the site and highlight how the local community can work in partnership with the Parks Service to maintain and improve the park. In writing this management plan, the Parks Service can ensure that all relevant information regarding the site is accessible in one concise document. The plan will provide a framework for decisions to enable management to react proactively and positively to a changing world. This management plan will provide a set of parameters in which the Parks Service can operate within to ensure that opportunities for improvement can be acted on promptly. This plan will evaluate the quality of data that the Parks Service has on Manor Park, and will encourage discussion about issues facing the park and establish support for a way forward on each issue. It is hoped that this management plan will promote and stimulate interest and support for Manor Park. Furthermore, the Parks Management team will be able to identify future requirements to further meet the needs of the community. Improvement works will be listed in an action plan, which will help achieve the aims and objectives of the plan. Monitoring and Review of Management Plan The Manor Park Management Plan will become a working document for the site. With continuous updating, monitoring and review it will become a comprehensive document, which can chart the history of the site as well as providing a vision and a direction for the park. In more practical terms it will provide an action plan for site management and it will provoke a continuous review of working practises and expenditure. SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time -Specific) targets will be set to achieve the aims and objectives of the management plan. This is the first management plan for Manor Park. It is hoped that by documenting the management of the site, it will provoke discussion on how to effectively allocate resources to maintain and improve the park and recreation ground. To maintain this document as an effective management tool, it must be updated annually to ensure it continues to reflect the realistic aims of all stakeholders and helps make informed decisions. 5 Wider Policy Context Sutton Council’s Vision for the Borough ‘To build a community in which all can take part and all can take pride.’ - Manor Park Management Plan can support this vision by providing a management tool for the park that can be reviewed regularly to ensure that the park is meeting the aims and objectives of local, regional and national policies and strategies. Sutton’s Parks Service and the management of the parks operate within a framework of national, regional and local strategies and policy statements. They directly impact upon the aims and objectives of the London Borough of Sutton, which are reflected in the strategic documents that have been produced. Council strategies and policy statements set out aims and objectives for service delivery, which feed down to more localised strategies for example the Open Spaces Strategy and individual management plans. Listed below are the main documents that directly impact upon Manor Park. London Borough of Sutton’s Key Corporate Documents Cultural Strategy / Community Strategy The vision of the Community Strategy is ‘to improve the quality of life for all the people in the London Borough of Sutton, now, and for future generations.’ The Council has developed five Core Values which are set out below and all of which have implications for the development of the Open Space Strategy: • Working in Partnership with people who live and work in the Borough • Making our services open and accessible so that everyone is listened to and treated with Respect • Seeking Innovative approaches in order to provide better services • Promoting Diversity and ensuring that we recognise and celebrate difference with the context of fairness and equality • Empowering everyone so that we can all ‘take part and take pride’ as active citizens and staff The strategy states that ‘the work of the Parks Service provides a good example of helping to create active communities.’ The management plan for Manor Park can support this vision by providing a management tool for the park that can be reviewed regularly to ensure that the park is meeting the aims and objectives of local, regional and national policies and strategies. Open Spaces Strategy The London Plan (GLA, February 2004) states that the London Boroughs should prepare Open Spaces Strategies to understand the supply and demand of open spaces and identify ways of protecting, creating and enhancing them and improving the quality through better management.