Call for "Friends of Country Parks" group

10.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 17th Jun 2008

Cllr Chilvers in Thorndon Park in 2005

Cllr Karen Chilvers, Lib Dem councillor and former lead campaigner in the "Save Thorndon Park" campaign, is calling for the council to create a "Friends of Brentwood Country Parks" group to be created to safeguard the future of our precious parks.

Cllr Chilvers led a campaign with hundreds of other residents objecting the installation of a "Go Ape" venture in Thorndon Country Park which, the objectors felt, would lead to the ruination of the park and the very real possibility of further commercial development. She said:

"With the council about to enter into an agreement to jointly run the country parks we need to remind the administration that users really do not want the nature of the parks to change and the charm and beauty are important. A new management arrangement must ensure that it is properly funded and that the temptation of entering into commercial arrangements to balance the books is avoided.

"We need to be very clear that the local stakeholders must include the hundreds of people who campaigned against the commercialisation of their park. For this reason, there needs to be an identified and dedicated group of park users who are consulted on a regular basis and setting up a "Friends of Brentwood Country Parks" group seems a logical way forward."

UPDATE: The Leader of the council agreed to this request! Are you interested in joining the group? Click here: http://www.brentwood-ongarlibdems.org.uk/surveys/4/ or contact Cllr Chilvers via www.karenchilvers.mycouncillor.org.uk.