District and county councillors, agencies and local people gathered last Monday 26 September 2011 to celebrate the new fencing, gates and car park improvements, which have been installed at Redwood Park in Burntwood to curb anti-social behaviour.
Following calls from neighbouring residents, to put a stop to people using Redwood Park after hours, Lichfield District Council, with the support of section 106 money, Beacon Community Church, local county councillors, Burntwood Rotary Club, and Lichfield District Safer Community Partnership, installed gates and fencing at key entrances to the Burntwood park.
The project, led by Lichfield District Council, followed a public meeting, where residents put forward their ideas for how to tackle the anti-social behaviour that was taking place at Redwood Park into the evening and early hours of the morning.
Councillor Val Richards, Lichfield District Council’s Cabinet Member for Leisure Services, said: “On behalf of the district council and everyone who has been involved in this project, we were pleased to formally launch the new gates and fencing. We hope it will deter people from using the park at night, making living next to a park more enjoyable.”
The gates, groundwork and car park improvements, along with more than 200 meters of fencing cost £22,906. The funding came from: £16,000 section 106 money, £2,000 Lichfield District Safer Community Partnership, £4,406 county councillors’ Local Member Initiative (including county councillors Steve Tranter, Paul Atkins, Frank Lewis), and £500 Burntwood Rotary Club.
“We’d like to thank all our partners who contributed to the funding and especially thank Councillor Heather Tranter who has worked hard to support this project,” continued Cllr Richards.
