Disappointment over budget cuts to Birmingham City Council’s park rangers

Park users in Birmingham have expressed their disappointment after it emerged the city’s ranger service is facing cuts.

The city council effectively declared itself bankrupt in September by issuing a Section 114 notice, before signing off on £300m of cuts and a 21% rise in council tax over two years.

Team4Nature, which aims to build “place of pride” so communities can thrive, said there were “simply no words to describe the feeling of sadness and disappointment”.

The council said the service needed to be more targeted, with activities focused on the most deprived sections of the city.

Chris Blythe, chairman of the Birmingham Open Space Forum, said park rangers had previously offered advice, provided logistical support and run sessions for the community and friends groups.

He added that the changes could have an effect on such groups and urged the council to keep them informed.

“As an open space forum, we have a very good relationship with the city council and we’d like that to continue,” he said.

Friends of Kings Heath said they were “very sad indeed”.

The council admitted it needed to make savings in many areas and added the park ranger service was “no exception”.

A spokesman said that as part of a review, vacancies had been eliminated, the out-of-hours patrol service had been discontinued and ranger centers had been reduced.

While community support groups would be reduced, it would “provide and increase community activity”.

This was to increase participation, volunteering and “appreciation of our green spaces” in 46 nominated parks in the most deprived areas of the city, the spokesman added.

The council and central government have blamed each other for the authority’s predicament.

Commissioners have been brought in to oversee how the authority is run as it slashes its budget to cover overspending.