Findings of public consultation on Pudsey park visitor centre and greenhouse
Background A public consultation on the future of the West Leeds Country Park Visitor Centre and adjacent greenhouse was undertaken by Leeds City Council between Monday 16th November and Monday 14th December (4 weeks). The consultation was available online on the Leeds City Council website and a paper copy was available to be mailed out to participants on request. It was promoted on social media and on posters in Pudsey park. 2,025 people responded online and 10 on paper questionnaires. We would like to thank all participants for taking the time to share your thoughts on the proposals. The results are outlined below.
Summary of Findings 2,035 people responded to the consultation. It was clear from the level of engagement, and the comments made, that local people really value and care about Pudsey Park and its facilities. In terms of the respondents to the consultation, the majority live local to Pudsey park with 90% living within 3 miles of the site. Respondents visit the park frequently with 67% visiting once a week or more and 89% visiting once a month or more. The majority of respondents (75%) were aged between 30 and 64. 70% were female. 51% had children under 16. A majority of respondents (85%) said they don’t want the West Leeds Country Park Visitor Centre to close to save the council £90k/year. If the visitor centre were to close, a small majority (52%) said they wouldn’t want it to be replaced by a café and 42% said they would support the idea of the visitor centre being replaced by a café if it had to close. 47% said they wouldn’t use such a café, 31% said they would use one, and 22% said they may use a café in the park. From the 1,254 people that made comments on the consultation, the most common themes that emerged were:
Don’t move or reduce the size of the playground. There are plenty of cafes in Pudsey already, so another one isn’t needed/may impact on local economy. Don’t close the visitor centre The suggestion that, if the council were to sell refreshments, it would be best done opposite the current play area, either as a café or using the kiosk that’s already there. There is a need for public toilets in the centre of Pudsey.
Findings
Section a – respondents’ interest in Pudsey Park
How close do you live to Pudsey park?
1400 1237 1200
1000
800 590 600
400 Numberresponses of
200 115 90
0 0 - 1 mile 1 - 3 miles 3 - 5 miles 5 + miles Distance
How often do you visit Pudsey Park?
1600 1366 1400
1200
1000
800
600 463
400 Numberresponses of 147 200 32 16 6 0 Once a week or Once a month Four times a Once a year Less than once Never more year a year Frequency
Why do you visit Pudsey Park? Choose no more than 3 options.
Children / family outing 874
To visit the play area 848
To visit the West Leeds Country Park visitor centre 838
To enjoy the beauty of the surroundings 604
To relax, think, or for peace and quiet 428
To get some fresh air 362
To visit the plant display-house 353
To walk (without a dog) 340
To walk the dog 310 Reason
To enjoy nature 226
To meet friends 207
To get from one place to another 142
To attend events e.g. music at bandstand 118
To keep fit / play sports / exercise 77
To visit the skate park 75
Other (please state): 70
To use the bowling green 25
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 Number of responses
Section b - the proposals
Visitor centre Closing the West Leeds Country Park Visitor Centre: given the council’s financial position outlined above, do you think the West Leeds Country Park Visitor Centre, and the display- house next to it, should be closed to save the council £90,000 per annum?
2000 1800 1720 1600 1400 1200 1000 800
Response Response number 600 400 191 200 117 0 No Yes Don't know Response
Cafe Creating a café in Pudsey Park: Do you support the idea of creating a café (as described) in Pudsey Park, if it can be developed without impacting negatively on the council’s financial position?
1200 1050 1000 857 800
600
400 Numberresponses of 200 120
0 No Yes Don't know Response
If a café were created in the proposed location, would you personally use it?
1200
1000 957
800 635 600 438
400 Numberresponses of 200
0 No Yes Maybe Response
If you have any comments on the proposals, or any suggestions relating to them which won't increase costs to the council, please write them here.
Comments were received from 1,254 people and were sorted into common themes – most people made comments on more than one theme. The top 15 most common themes were as follows:
Number of Theme of comment respondents* 1 Don't move playground 321 2 Don't reduce size of playground 268 There are lots of other cafes nearby and/or café in park might 3 impact on local businesses 267 4 Don't close visitor centre 240 Suggests new café goes near current playground or that we use the 5 kiosk there to sell refreshments. 227 6 Public toilets are needed in the area 176 7 Don’t support the proposals 170 8 The visitor centre is good for families with young children/education 124 9 Support the idea of having a café in the park 110 The play facilities need improving (including skate park and 10 providing more for older children/teens) 64 11 Put café in/on greenhouse and leave visitor centre open. 56 Try and find another organisation, or individuals such as volunteers 12 to run the visitor centre/café. 57 13 Don’t close the greenhouse 46
Number of Theme of comment ctd respondents* Question whether the proposals (including café and moving play) 14 would be a cost saving 43 Suggests council seeks external funding for visitor centre including 15 charging for entry or asking for donations. 42 *respondents often made comments on more than one theme
Section c – who responded
Are you the parent/carer of a child under 16 years old?
910 900 897 890 880 870 860 849 850
Numberresponses of 840 830 820 Yes No Response
How old are you?
800
700 668 655
600
500
400
300 274
Numberresponses of 200 144
100 27 0 0 - 18 18 - 29 30 - 44 45 - 64 64 + Age
What best describes your gender?
1400 1237 1200
1000
800
600 511
400 Numberresponses of
200 25 0 Male Female Other Gender
Do you consider yourself disabled?
1800 1560 1600 1400 1200 1000 800 600
Numberresponses of 400 159 200 41 0 Yes No Prefer not to say Disability
Other responses to the consultation Petition: During the consultation, a petition was set up entitled: Stop Leeds City Council from closing our visitor centre and moving our playground. The petition was signed by 2,536 people and is attached to this document.
Phone messages The Parks and Countryside Services received telephone messages from 3 separate local residents expressing their opposition to the proposals.
Outer-West Community Committee On 1 December 2020, officers attended the Outer-West Community Committee as part of the consultation process.
At the meeting local ward members suggested that the sustainability of Pudsey park should be looked at, and more options explored for the park. Cllr Seary proposed a motion for the enhancement of the visitor centre which was agreed.
The minutes of the meeting can be found here: https://democracy.leeds.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=1001&MId=10245&Ver=4
Attachments
1. Consultation document 2. Petition