Number of Green Flag parks in Haringey to halve

Liberal Democrats have slammed Labour-run Haringey Council after it sent a letter to Friends groups announcing that it is withdrawing ‘Green Flag’ recognition from 11 of the borough’s 22 parks which currently meet the standard - despite the Labour Party promising in their 2022 manifesto to increase the number of Green Flag parks. This withdrawal of recognition has been forced by the council’s cuts to its parks service and was decided without engagement with the Friends groups and local councillors.

The Green Flag is the international standard for parks in the UK and around the world, and is intended to promote standards of good management and best-practice. Under this council decision the following parks will all lose their Green Flag status: Belmont Rec, Chapmans Green, Chestnuts Park, Coldfall Wood, Down Lane Park, Fairland Park, Paignton Park, Parkland Walk, Queens Wood, Stationers Park and Tottenham Green.

Cllr Alessandra Rossetti (LD-Alexandra Park), Opposition Spokesperson for Parks, said:

“This is an extremely disappointing decision from Haringey’s Labour-run council. Past decisions on holding inappropriate events in Finsbury Park or introducing charging on public tennis courts have shown that the council views our parks primarily as a revenue raiser, rather than as the public spaces they should be, and yet they claim to no longer have the funds to maintain them as Green Flag parks - despite promising to increase the number of Green Flag parks in their manifesto in 2022.

“The Green Flag is a well understood national standard for parks in this country and Haringey Council should reverse this decision, so that residents can have confidence in the quality of our parks and the level of service and maintenance the council gives them. This decision and associated cuts to the park service gives a worrying picture of the standard the council thinks is acceptable and may take our parks towards over the coming months and years."