We’re all to familiar with the spending cuts, especially in Birmingham. In 2014 alone the city council has already announced it will be making cuts in the region of £120m.

In the last few weeks the city council has made a series of proposals which seek to reduce it’s spending by cutting services including those in our parks. Local organisations such as the Birmingham Open Spaces Forum are now campaigning to save jobs and keep our parks open but they need your help.

The cutbacks include, the loss of 16 park keepers, removal of 60 play areas, the loss of 8 more rangers and a reduction to the woodland team.

A spokesperson from the Birmingham Open Spaces Forum said: “Our parks & open spaces need you – and everyone you know – to respond to the proposals. If there are enough objections we can change the plans. Birmingham Parks have already made savings in the region of 25% since 2010.”

A regular park user Sue Webb said to B14 News “Having a connection with cared-for open green spaces in our cities is essential for all our well-being at a time when fewer people can afford to take holidays.”

“Any area not maintained is a potential magnet for delinquency and crime and property value will fall.”

“There is a potential to bring local communities together in protecting and caring for our parks under the watchful eye of expert rangers. This can only happen if we start accepting that volunteer labour is a valid contribution to the well-being of our neighbourhoods, where people cannot find an alternative job or who have health problems that make conventional work untenable.”

To see the full review please go to the Birmingham City Council Budget Consultation pages. For the short version look on the same page under “Local Services Factsheets” – Parks & Open Spaces are on pages 46-47.

The public consultation closes on 10th January. You can respond to the proposals by completing this questionnaire www.birminghambeheard.org.uk/budget/budgetviews2014/consult_view