City Council Reclaims Park Management from Charity

A municipal council is set to regain stewardship of its parks after withdrawing financial support from a charity established to manage them five years ago. This action marks the conclusion of what was previously described as a “visionary plan” to entrust the administration of 33 Tyneside parks and over 60 allotments to Urban Green Newcastle (UGN). In March, it was disclosed that UGN was facing a projected funding deficit of £6.7 million over the next five years. Jim Beirne MBE, the charity’s chair of trustees, commented that they “must accept the decision” but also added that “we could have achieved so much more”. A review of UGN, commissioned by the council, found “no evidence” that the organization could continue its operations without “substantial financial support from the council for the foreseeable future”. According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the charity’s challenges have been attributed to inflation, higher-than-anticipated repair expenses, and council-imposed restrictions on hosting large music festivals. Alex Hay, the deputy leader of Newcastle City Council, affirmed his commitment to safeguarding the future of the parks but cautioned residents to “temper expectations”. He further stated, “Given our challenging financial position, it is important that we point out that we do not have the resources to fix all of the issues overnight.” Mr. Beirne acknowledged that the charity had accomplished “great things” but had to accept the council’s decision. UGN had aimed to secure prestigious Green Flag Awards for all of Newcastle’s parks by 2026; however, currently, only Exhibition Park and Jesmond Dene hold this status, with both Leazes Park and Walker Park having lost it this year.