Parks and Open Spaces

What does Fareham need?

It is encouraging that such a high number of residents express satisfaction with the amount and standard of current provision in Fareham. However there are also high usage levels and therefore maintenance standards must be sustained.

Residents would ideally like to see Park Keepers reinstated.  If this is not possible, then Fareham Borough Council will need to consider other methods of addressing concerns over safety, lighting, cleanliness and vandalism.

Particular attention must also be given to standardising  park furniture - litter and dog bins and seats, improving the maintenance of paths, additional trees and shrub planting and the development of special features in parks (possibly funded by grant aid or sponsorship).

Strategic Objectives

1. To enhance public enjoyment of the green and open space in the Borough through increased awareness and participation.
2. To develop and improve the quality of open space and outdoor recreation facilities in the Borough and manage the ongoing maintenance programme in such a way as to reduce environmental impact and increase efficiency.
3. To effectively manage those areas of open space in the Borough which are of "special environmental interest".
4. To ensure that the planning policy of the Council seeks to protect and enhance open space in order to make the Borough more attractive, as well as providing recreational space for the local community.
5. To provide and develop a diverse range of open space throughout the Borough which meets the needs of the local community, and offers real choice while providing an attractive and sustainable landscape.
6. To enhance the appearance of urban areas by providing, enabling and encouraging others to provide imaginative planting schemes, colourful floral displays and other special features.
7. To sympathetically manage cemeteries, churchyards and the crematorium by creating attractive and tranquil surroundings and offering a caring and efficient burial service.
8. To provide allotment sites, and to work in partnership with allotment users to effectively manage the sites for the benefit of the local community.
9. To ensure that all areas of open space are clear of litter and that park furniture is appropriate, vandal resistant and maintained to a suitable standard.
10. To prevent gypsies and other travellers from camping on areas of open space within the Borough.
11. To explore all available funding opportunities to assist in financing the parks and open space service.
12. To develop and maintain a corporate information database identifying all areas of green and open space in the Borough, to allow the sustainable development of each site; i.e. to include effective planning, management and monitoring of the area concerned.
13. To regularly monitor the quantity and quality of open space provision to ensure that the Council's policies are being implemented and to identify issues for future development.
14. To ensure that the Council takes a corporate approach to the management and development of the parks and open spaces strategy through close working between officers representing all service areas.
15. To address public concern over safety, lighting, cleanliness and vandalism in parks and open spaces in conjunction with the Community Safety Strategy.
16. To standardise provision of parks furniture (litter and dog bins and seats).
17. To develop facilities and opportunities for young people in parks and open spaces
18. To manage foreshore, countryside and woodland areas in a sustainable manner for the benefit of both the local community and wildlife and encourage community awareness, appreciation and involvement.
19. To promote and seek to provide safe and quiet routes for cyclists and pedestrians to, and within, the countryside.
20. To work with Hampshire County Council and other local authorities to develop and secure integrated, traffic free routes.

Relationship to Other Strategies

The Parks and Open Spaces strategic objectives inter-relate with other Council strategies in a number of ways, e.g.

• Planning policy - creating new areas of open space and protecting existing areas.
• E delivery - developing and maintaining a corporate geographical information database.
• Community Safety - addressing public concern over safety in open spaces; reconciling potential tension between a desire for more seats and better lighting and the consequent potential for vandalism, damage etc.
• Health Improvement - providing a variety of open spaces throughout the borough for informal recreation.
• Youth - encouraging greater use of and involvement with parks and open space areas.
• Economic Development  - contributing to the local economy by ensuring that the borough is an attractive place in which to live, work and relax.
• Social Inclusion - ensuring that facilities and opportunities are available and accessible to everyone.
• Community Partnership - developing community partnerships to improve and maintain open space areas.
• Sustainability - Objectives 18-20 above.

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