On the face of it looks good for the park and angling….. yes?
But here’s the rub, without the Friends group or Com. angling club the council can’t access the grant funding, the rules don’t allow them.
So what they do is set up a nodding dog body, Friends group Com angling Club, they (groups) apply for the grant, the council then carries out its predetermined plan, cajoling, bullying and in some circumstances threatening the groups into supporting it. There is no “meaningful consultation” with the users, residents about what they want, it the council’s plan only. They may even commission and so-called independent environmental charity to run this process for them e.g Groundwork. However is the local Groundwork really independent? Well no, as the local council(s) have seats on the boards and Groundwork are reliant on the councils for some or all of their funding.
Don’t bite the hand that feed you perhaps?
Interesting, the big independent grant funding Charities have rumbled the scam the councils are up to and are refusing to fund such projects. However, the Lottery Heritage Fund despite being told this by groups and those charities, still refuse to do anything about it.
Now ask yourself this, “Should Lottery Funding be used to fund work which should be carrying out by Councils?”
The Bad One Chair of Brookdale Park Users Group for the last 15 years.
Not a nodding dog body!