4 July 2012 - In partnership with the Heritage Lottery Fund and Big Lottery Fund, Nesta brought together park practitioners, civic innovators, local authorities, community entrepreneurs and those in associated sectors to discuss pressing areas for innovation.

1. rethinking parks
James McCulloch
Chief Executive, Nene Park Trust
World Commissioner (UK) and Europe Chair-Elect, IFPRA
July 2012

5. What's the problem?
 £ + (HLF, etc), £ - (CCT, BV, Efficiency)
 Importance and benefits well understood
 ‘Austerity measures’- further 30 - 50%
 Equals ‘50-70% reduction on quality’
 ‘Facing another spiral of terminal decline’
 LGA: ‘66 - 90% reduction by 2020’

8. In detail:
 Asset transfer
 Long lease
 Establishment of a charity
 Endowment
 Non Government model
 No Government funding
 Well established in leisure
 A growing model for parks
 Fund and forget?

13.  £12-15m
 Over 10,000 acres
 Millions of visits
 £100m+ asset base

14. Nene Park
Stretches for 6 miles
along the valley of the
river Nene to the west of
Peterborough
and covering an area of
1750 acres

17. Nene Park Trust Aim:
“to provide for the recreation of the public by
the provision of a park for the benefit of
the inhabitants of Peterborough and
visitors with the object of improving the
conditions of life for such persons.”

19. Tenants and licensees

21. Self sufficiency:
 £1.6m expenditure
 £660k from rental income
 £920k from investment income
 £120k from trading income

23. Trust Board of Management

24. Looking forward with confidence

28. Recent news:

29. Coming soon...

30. Coming soon...

31. Coming soon...

32. In Summary: never again?
 Political will
 Giving up control
 Realistic endowment
 Brave thinking needed?
 Business sense and skills required
 NOT a quick fix
 But...now is the time?

33. But...
 Long term
 Secure
 Innovation- staff and Board
 Sole purpose
 Agile and independent
 High quality
 Transparent
 Good governance