Topic: Look what happens when you close down a Parks Department

[Bassettina]

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See the Adver has picked up on this http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/9412648.Splashing_times_ahead_for_Coate/

Yet more turd polishing....

Coun Nick Martin, cabinet member for Streetsmart and parks. He said: “All the while we’re looking for ways of doing improvements. An awful lot of improvements we would like to do at Coate Water would be extremely expensive.
 
We will save money because we wouldn’t need the staff watching the pool any longer."

Is it just me or isn't a paddling pool a splash park with attendants? Sure its great to have a splash park, but its closing down one facility to open up another one.

It's clear that this isn't being done to improve anything, it's just capital outlay to make future running costs cheaper, a £117k spend to make a £20 year on year 'cost saving'.

That would allow Cllr Nick Martin to be able to sack another Park Ranger now...... thats one less, only five to go.....

If they invested in a decent cafe for Coate, the revenue would keep some of those other things going. But of course we are in austerity, and longer term thinking is forbidden. Cut, cut, cut until there's nothing left: nothing to cost money and nothing to make money either. Nothing to give people pleasure, or relaxation, or joy, or exercise, or community pride... and then wonder why people don't 'like where they live'.

[Muggins]

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It's high time that a 'Friends of' group set up and took over managment of Coate - it is possible.    A trust or charity could get better funding and if SBC coughed up the core costs, it would put it on a good footing. 

Been trying to do that over here, but we haven't got the interest from people with the skills, but there are plenty with them in the South of the town.

[Richard Beale]

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Looks like SBC have got a press release out... Might be worth a visit.

http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/9416969.Aviary___s_birds_are_fine__says_council/

[Mart]

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A customer enters a pet shop.

     Mr. Praline: 'Ello, I wish to register a complaint.

     (The owner does not respond.)

     Mr. Praline: 'Ello, Miss?

     Owner: What do you mean "miss"?

     Mr. Praline: I'm sorry, I have a cold. I wish to make a complaint!

     Owner: We're closin' for lunch.

     Mr. Praline: Never mind that, my lad. I wish to complain about this parrot what I purchased not half an hour ago from this very boutique.

     Owner: Oh yes, the, uh, the Norwegian Blue...What's,uh...What's wrong with it?

     Mr. Praline: I'll tell you what's wrong with it, my lad. 'E's dead, that's what's wrong with it!

     Owner: No, no, 'e's uh,...he's resting.

     Mr. Praline: Look, matey, I know a dead parrot when I see one, and I'm looking at one right now.

     Owner: No no he's not dead, he's, he's restin'! Remarkable bird, the Norwegian Blue, idn'it, ay? Beautiful plumage!

     Mr. Praline: The plumage don't enter into it. It's stone dead.

     Owner: Nononono, no, no! 'E's resting!

     Mr. Praline: All right then, if he's restin', I'll wake him up! (shouting at the cage) 'Ello, Mister Polly Parrot! I've got a lovely fresh cuttle fish for you if you
     show...

     (owner hits the cage)

     Owner: There, he moved!

     Mr. Praline: No, he didn't, that was you hitting the cage!

     Owner: I never!!

     Mr. Praline: Yes, you did!

     Owner: I never, never did anything...

     Mr. Praline: (yelling and hitting the cage repeatedly) 'ELLO POLLY!!!!! Testing! Testing! Testing! Testing! This is your nine o'clock alarm call!

     (Takes parrot out of the cage and thumps its head on the counter. Throws it up in the air and watches it plummet to the floor.)

     Mr. Praline: Now that's what I call a dead parrot.

     Owner: No, no.....No, 'e's stunned!

     Mr. Praline: STUNNED?!?

     Owner: Yeah! You stunned him, just as he was wakin' up! Norwegian Blues stun easily, major.

     Mr. Praline: Um...now look...now look, mate, I've definitely 'ad enough of this. That parrot is definitely deceased, and when I purchased it not 'alf an hour
     ago, you assured me that its total lack of movement was due to it bein' tired and shagged out following a prolonged squawk.

     Owner: Well, he's...he's, ah...probably pining for the fjords.

     Mr. Praline: PININ' for the FJORDS?!?!?!? What kind of talk is that?, look, why did he fall flat on his back the moment I got 'im home?

     Owner: The Norwegian Blue prefers keepin' on it's back! Remarkable bird, id'nit, squire? Lovely plumage!

     Mr. Praline: Look, I took the liberty of examining that parrot when I got it home, and I discovered the only reason that it had been sitting on its perch in the
     first place was that it had been NAILED there.

     (pause)

     Owner: Well, o'course it was nailed there! If I hadn't nailed that bird down, it would have nuzzled up to those bars, bent 'em apart with its beak, and
     VOOM! Feeweeweewee!

     Mr. Praline: "VOOM"?!? Mate, this bird wouldn't "voom" if you put four million volts through it! 'E's bleedin' demised!

     Owner: No no! 'E's pining!

     Mr. Praline: 'E's not pinin'! 'E's passed on! This parrot is no more! He has ceased to be! 'E's expired and gone to meet 'is maker! 'E's a stiff! Bereft of life, 'e
     rests in peace! If you hadn't nailed 'im to the perch 'e'd be pushing up the daisies! 'Is metabolic processes are now 'istory! 'E's off the twig! 'E's kicked the
     bucket, 'e's shuffled off 'is mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleedin' choir invisibile!! THIS IS AN EX-PARROT!!

     (pause)

     Owner: Well, I'd better replace it, then. (he takes a quick peek behind the counter) Sorry squire, I've had a look 'round the back of the shop, and uh,
     we're right out of parrots.

     Mr. Praline: I see. I see, I get the picture.

     Owner: I got a slug.

     (pause)

     Mr. Praline: Pray, does it talk?

     Owner: Nnnnot really.

     Mr. Praline: WELL IT'S HARDLY A BLOODY REPLACEMENT, IS IT?!!???!!?

     Owner: N-no, I guess not. (gets ashamed, looks at his feet)

     Mr. Praline: Well.

     (pause)

     Owner: (quietly) D'you.... d'you want to come back to my place?

     Mr. Praline: (looks around) Yeah, all right, sure.

[Richard Beale]

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That's old hat now it's Locality locality locality...............the season party game is guessing nt who your locality lead is, but what are they going to do.

From what I'm hearing, most of the officers now know whether they have a job or not, the 'guessing game' amongst those still employed seems to be what are they supposed to be doing, as no one at any point in the firing and re-hiring process has bothered to outline a job spec.

It seems that no one, officers/manager/directors has a clue. Everyone is waiting to be told just what it is they have applied for.

It is also apparent told that certain backbench councillors don't even realise the Parks team isn't there anymore and get a bit confused when they try to take up parks issues with those left.

Should prove to be interesting, thank god I'm not there. Interesting times ahead for those left

[Muggins]

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I have had an email to tell me that the Parks Department is closing - will be no more - dead - gone. 

A few of the workers have been taken into Street Smart, with diffferent  job titles and Richard's right, I'm fairly sure they don't know exactly what they will be doing, another 21 will be TUPE'd (what does that mean?) to SCS.

OK so we are having a completely new structure, but I can't help thinking that no one has got  a real grip on whats happening and somethings will get missed.  Up to us to keep visiting our parks and makign sure things get done. 

Let's hope that every councillor in town and Locality Leads are aware of the open spaces in their wards and localities, somehow I don't think it will be top of their agendas.

And let's hope that Kevin (this is a brown field site) Mccleod is no where near any of them.

BTW  Brownfield is land that had previously been developed - not allotments or anything else 'green'.

[Bassettina]

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I was looking at the Swindon council websites to learn more about the One Swindon Thingamabob, and found the One Swindon plan with all its priorities listed nice and clearly.

There I spotted...

Working together: Our
beautiful parks will be
improved and maintained

Perhaps the town has a wonderful community engagment scheme up its sleeve, but I'm not convinced. Withdrawing staff quickly and quietly, handing the parks over to the commercial arm of the council and then... well, not even aiming at basic maintenance of standards, the parks will be improved! 

Speaking as an outsider, Swindon is bloody lucky to have so many wonderful parks. Treasure them. Care for them. Don't run them into the ground!

[Muggins]

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That completely new structure I was talking about it not just in Parks - it's throught the council.

Like Richard, I don't know who to feel most sorry for, those that have lost their jobs or those that are going to have to cope with the fall out and the new structures. 

Although part of that might be a 'wonderful community engagement scheme' they would not have enough people left or knowledgable enough to cope with that and the change.  Most people involved in good community engagement are frontline and therefore take the flak.

We have requested that all the Locality Leads take a short course in community development so that they can at least attempt to hit the ground running.  Although I don't know where, these days, they could get that and to get quality training would be almost impossible, it might be a case of the blind leading the blind.  Sorry if that's politically incorrect.

[Tea Boy]

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Rumour has it in the depot that the changes in the civic, closing the parks office and changing the remaining staff into locality assistants has finally hacked off the few remaining officers worth having.

The most shocking in terms of Swindon's long term environmental management is Friday's rumour that Frank Donachie, who many will know as one of the most regarded and capable tree officers has finally had enough and is planning to leave and that Karl Curtis, the last head ranger working for SBC is leaving in February.

Will the last person to leave SBC please turn off the lights....... Or in this case, remember  prune the trees and look after our country parks?

[Jean]

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The most shocking in terms of Swindon's long term environmental management is Friday's rumour that Frank Donachie, who many will know as one of the most regarded and capable tree officers has finally had enough and is planning to leave and that Karl Curtis, the last head ranger working for SBC is leaving in February.

What depressing news - both very capable men and extremely helpful officers who go out of their way to help.

[Muggins]

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We are doomed.....doomed.....

And the sad thing is that not many realised how doomed we are!

 

[Richard Symonds]

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Time for a change in management folks!!

[kohima]

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Will Mr Grant then do a Milliband and say what you see is what you got and we cant change it.....

[Richard Beale]

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Will Mr Grant then do a Milliband and say what you see is what you got and we cant change it.....

Not quite sure where you ar egoing with this one Kohima....

The current changes in management style at Faulty Bluh Towers is not a political issue. Its been on the cards for a long time, hastened by the coalition cut backs and endorsed by ALL parties......

With reference to the topic, it has seen a decline in the abilities of those left to carry out effective parks management, with a loss of skills, local knowledge and pride/committment.

As an allotment tenant and a user of Swindons parks and open spaces, it will be a while, but sooner or later it WILL affect the quality of the services the council supplies directly to you.

It is probably true I have a bit of an axe to grind, being made redundant from a job in the parks team, but in my defence 25 years left an indelible mark on me, I still give a damn, god knows why? But it makes me  to think that Swindon is throwing away a generation of people who really cared.

It bothers me deeply that the likes of Frank and Karl are going, they gave their all for Swindons parks and have given far more time and energy than they were ever renumerated for into making your our town a better place. With their input gone, those outdoor places now have to rely on workers whose only motivation is keeping within the budget. Whose only out look is towards the next redundancy period in 6 months. The environment need long term planning not knee jerk reactions to which ever councillor shouts the loudest.

This short termism, wedded to a lack of knowledge both community wise and technical is going to leave an uncertain future, where the lowest cost option is all that will happen.

As muggins says, you won't even notice the missing service or input until its far too late to do anything meaningful about it.

p.s. Thats Five parks rangers minus one..... so Four to go....

[Mellon]

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Kohima as far as i can tell has a holistic view of labour.....it doesnt matter which party done it or who or what circumstances around the issue are.....its always connected to labour.  very very entertaining sometimes

Will Mr Grant then do a Milliband and say what you see is what you got and we cant change it.....

i also thought that was a position held by david cameron and nick clegg....daves would be "were in europe but its too late to change anything now" and ol cleggs would be "were in government now we cant change it"....kohima i think that statement rings true for all 3 major parties within government. 

although saying that ed balls has changed his mind on a few conservatives policies......not really surprised as ive always said he was a slimey bloke. 

[kohima]

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I posted that thread, as Richard had come up and suggested a change of management would change things, so in view of comments made by Mr Milliband and indeed Mr Balls, over the past few days, I thought the quote I gave was appropriate. but if as Richard B has now said, it was endorsed by all parties then there is nothing else to say. bit like all the councillors on the planning com, voting for the croft school, regardless of party ties......

[Muggins]

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Is Mr Milliband or Mr Balls, going to save our Parks or any of the SBc jobs - no they ain't so let's keep them out of it - for the time being.

[Jean]

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It bothers me deeply that the likes of Frank and Karl are going, they gave their all for Swindons parks and have given far more time and energy than they were ever renumerated for into making your our town a better place. With their input gone, those outdoor places now have to rely on workers whose only motivation is keeping within the budget. Whose only out look is towards the next redundancy period in 6 months. The environment need long term planning not knee jerk reactions to which ever councillor shouts the loudest.

This short termism, wedded to a lack of knowledge both community wise and technical is going to leave an uncertain future, where the lowest cost option is all that will happen.

As muggins says, you won't even notice the missing service or input until its far too late to do anything meaningful about it.

p.s. Thats Five parks rangers minus one..... so Four to go....

I've heard the most distressing news today that Karl has now gone, 3 others are applying for other jobs that are as far removed from their skills as you can imagine and that SCS will be taking over the management of Swindon's parks.

Gawd! As Muggins says elsewhere in this thread, once people wake up to what is going on - ie the closure of the Council's Parks Department  - it will be too late to do anything. It's probably too late already but is there anything that we can do? 

[Muggins]

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Adopt them all as soon as possible..................but even then, who is there to 'partner' with and who to turn to for help?

We'll probably be dealing with  'I don't know one end of a spade from the other landscaping Ltd.'    Don't ring us and we won't ring you?we don't do community imput.com

[Jean]

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Adopt them all as soon as possible..................but even then, who is there to 'partner' with and who to turn to for help?

We'll probably be dealing with  'I don't know one end of a spade from the other landscaping Ltd.'    Don't ring us and we won't ring you?we don't do community imput.com

Exactly so. We will be losing people who are completely qualified to know what to do, who are dedicated and passionate about improving the park where they work but have been underfunded to get on with it. Instead we will get a bunch of cowboys who will probably use slash and burn techniques as a way to manage a park.