Our story so far
The East Midlands region is characterised by a wide range of contrasting environmental, social and economic conditions.
Whilst the region can boast a number of significant environmental assets, such as the Peak District National Park and the Lincolnshire Wolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), overall the East Midlands is comparatively impoverished in environmental terms. The continued long term decline in biodiversity is a cause of particular concern and the effects of climate change, particularly in terms of flood risk, will also have to be better understood and addressed.
There are many fine parks and green spaces in the region; however, in common with other regions, budgets for maintenance, numbers of site based personnel, environmental quality and perceived security have declined in the eighties and nineties.
Recent investment in the sector and initiatives to drive up standards and improve training reflect the national agenda to deliver a renaissance in parks and green space provision and undoubtedly have strong public support. These have had a significant impact on upgrading selected sites but have as yet failed, in this region, to resolve the longer term and critical inadequacies in available revenue resources to run the sites.
The stability and planning that should underpin the management and maintenance of green spaces is frequently undermined by structural reorganisations in which green space management can often become the unfortunate political football with consequent loss of experienced staff and continuity in site management. Unstructured and sporadic related training provision and career progression routes are further unsatisfactory consequences of this lack of stability.
National charity GreenSpace has been established to provide leadership and direction to improve upon current failings and to build upon strengths and good practice. It has recognised that this can effectively be done by establishing a regional framework and working with those involved in front line delivery.
New regional forums are being developed and GreenSpace East Midlands is one of the forerunners. This is to the credit of those local authorities and their officers who recognised the benefits that regional unity of action and advocacy might bring and who provided support and funding.
The Forum is currently chaired by Eddie Curry, head of parks and open spaces at Nottingham City Council. He is supported by a Steering group which consists of one representative for each county and a representative from Natural England and Groundwork. Officers from Government Office for the East Midlands and East Midlands Regional Assembly also attend meetings.
The Steering Group aims to include all of the Forum membership through open meetings, events, training, working groups and by working in association with county based sub regional green space forums.
Working groups on funding, community involvement and training are establishing their role and how they can contribute to the overall objectives of the Forum.
The Forum also employs a full time forum manager, who arranges and administers meetings and events; circulates news and information around a developing network of regional green space contacts; pursues growth in paid membership and fundraising; coordinates a network information exchange; and pursues opportunities to have the regional perspective heard at the national level.
Please contact Ruth Rolls, GreenSpace East Midlands forum manager, or Sarah Moore, GreenSpace regional manager with any enquiries.
Whilst the region can boast a number of significant environmental assets, such as the Peak District National Park and the Lincolnshire Wolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), overall the East Midlands is comparatively impoverished in environmental terms. The continued long term decline in biodiversity is a cause of particular concern and the effects of climate change, particularly in terms of flood risk, will also have to be better understood and addressed.
There are many fine parks and green spaces in the region; however, in common with other regions, budgets for maintenance, numbers of site based personnel, environmental quality and perceived security have declined in the eighties and nineties.
Recent investment in the sector and initiatives to drive up standards and improve training reflect the national agenda to deliver a renaissance in parks and green space provision and undoubtedly have strong public support. These have had a significant impact on upgrading selected sites but have as yet failed, in this region, to resolve the longer term and critical inadequacies in available revenue resources to run the sites.
The stability and planning that should underpin the management and maintenance of green spaces is frequently undermined by structural reorganisations in which green space management can often become the unfortunate political football with consequent loss of experienced staff and continuity in site management. Unstructured and sporadic related training provision and career progression routes are further unsatisfactory consequences of this lack of stability.
National charity GreenSpace has been established to provide leadership and direction to improve upon current failings and to build upon strengths and good practice. It has recognised that this can effectively be done by establishing a regional framework and working with those involved in front line delivery.
New regional forums are being developed and GreenSpace East Midlands is one of the forerunners. This is to the credit of those local authorities and their officers who recognised the benefits that regional unity of action and advocacy might bring and who provided support and funding.
The Forum is currently chaired by Eddie Curry, head of parks and open spaces at Nottingham City Council. He is supported by a Steering group which consists of one representative for each county and a representative from Natural England and Groundwork. Officers from Government Office for the East Midlands and East Midlands Regional Assembly also attend meetings.
The Steering Group aims to include all of the Forum membership through open meetings, events, training, working groups and by working in association with county based sub regional green space forums.
Working groups on funding, community involvement and training are establishing their role and how they can contribute to the overall objectives of the Forum.
The Forum also employs a full time forum manager, who arranges and administers meetings and events; circulates news and information around a developing network of regional green space contacts; pursues growth in paid membership and fundraising; coordinates a network information exchange; and pursues opportunities to have the regional perspective heard at the national level.
Please contact Ruth Rolls, GreenSpace East Midlands forum manager, or Sarah Moore, GreenSpace regional manager with any enquiries.
Geographical Area
The counties of Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Northamptonshire constitute the East Midlands region. The region includes three unitary city councils – Derby, Leicester and Nottingham - with a total population approaching 0.8 Million. The rest of its residents, 3.4 million, live in smaller towns and rural areas.If you are not in the East Midlands region, there may be a forum in your area. To find out about other regional forums go to the GreenSpace website regional forums page.