Decision to stop locking park gates saw no antisocial behaviour rise

In September, Halton Council backtracked on a decision to stop locking gates on several parks overnight, including Hough Green Park, Crow Wood Park, Birchfield Gardens and vehicle barriers at Pickering Pastures, Spike Island and Sunny Bank.

A meeting of the council in March had approved a number of budget savings proposals, including a review of the contract arrangements for the locking of park gates, the yearly costs of which are more than £86k.

But the council later said it had not been made ‘sufficiently clear’ that the savings were the result of ending the contract and that as a result, the original position should be reinstated.

The review had been prompted by a petition, handed to the council by Reform UK ward councillor for Bankfield Cllr Claire Aberdeen. The council also received a number of correspondences from residents, councillors and Derek Twigg MP.

Now an upcoming meeting of Halton’s environment and regeneration policy and performance board will consider the 199-name petition which called for the the reinstatement of the locking of Hough Green Park gates.

It also asked that consultation is undertaken in future before making decisions that ‘affect community safety’, and for incidents of anti-social behaviour linked to the park’s overnight opening be monitored and reported.

A report to the board said the council reviewed anti-social behaviour data for Hough Green Park between July 1 – September 21.

It said: “The data has shown no instances of anti-social behaviour linked to the ceasing of the overnight locking of the park.”

It said that In line with the original council resolution, a full review of the
contract arrangements at the six parks would be reported back to the council’s ruling executive board.

It said the review would include:

• Gathering intelligence and existing data around anti-social
  behaviour and use of parks and public open.
• Understanding the costs damage.
• Understand what current situation in relation to CCTV, and
  any measures in relation to ‘designing out’ crime.
• Consultation with residents, members and park users.

The report concluded: “Given the reinstatement of the locking the Board is asked to accept the petition and to agree to the review outlined above including the request for consultation outlined in the petition.”