Praise for Buckinghamshire’s country parks
Visitors to Buckinghamshire’s country parks have almost trebled in the past 15 years. And what cost the council taxpayer around three quarters of amillion pounds a year then, now turns over £800,000 annually.
So successful are they that Andrew Fowler, Head of Country Parks and Green Spaces, needs to strengthen his team with more commercial, operations and project management skills.
And he told the County Council’s Transport, Environment and Communities Select Committee how the future might look for Black Park, Langley Park, Denham Park and Thorney Park.
With Warren Whyte, Cabinet Member for Planning and Environment, Andrew had reviewed alternative operating models for managing the parks.
Warren told the Select Committee that as the parks are increasing levels of net income every year, he had decided management would stay within County Councilcontrol.
‘Our parks are subsidy-free, they’re a fantastic resource with acres of great facilities, and we’re very pleased with the way things are progressing,’ he said.
Andrew said visitor numbers were increasing by 6% every year – to nearly 896,000 in 2015/16 -and, as a result, Langley Park had needed a bigger car park, and Black Park would soon need more spaces.
Work on an indoor tearoom at Langley Park is due to start at Easter, and a new play area by Denham Park’s café had been built with a £100,000 grant from Grundon’s.
Including the parks’ two partners – Go Ape high ropes and San Remo Catering – gross turnover was around £2.5 million annually and there were jobs for more than 50 people.
Andrew told the Select Committee the future challenge would be to raise net income to meet targets that will rise from around£84,000 this year to just over £182,000 in two years’ time.
As well as income from visitors and film-makers – scenes from James Bond, Harry Potter and other famous movies have been shot in the parks – Andrew said his team were looking at innovative ways to attract more of the three million who live within reach of the parks.
They are currently exploring a smartphone visitor’s app, and considering the viability of holiday lodgings.
Praise for the parks ‘can-do’ team flowed from Select Committee members, and Chairman David Carroll said: ‘We really do appreciate the value of our country parks – one of the jewels in the county’s crown. Their vision is exciting and positive for the future, and we want to encourage everyone to take advantage of this fantastic asset.’
Cabinet Member Warren Whyte said: ‘As the only self-financing parks service providing a council with an income,what Andrew and the team have done over the years is unprecedented nationally. They richly deserve the Select Committee’s accolade.
‘And the future? The challenge to innovate surely won’t be a walk in the park, but you certainly won’t find our team kicking it into the long grass!’