VIDEO:Dagenham’s Central Park and a council on the brink-Sam Holland Conservative PPC for Dagenham and Rainham.
Conservative Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Dagenham and Rainham Sam Holland today writes in the Havering Daily.
Dagenham’s historic Central Park was once a symbol of a town well looked after and properly maintained. Opened to the public in 1932, it served as a place the local community could enjoy. Trees were planted to mark the Coronation of King George VI it had well maintained tennis courts and mini golf.
Today, the park is left neglected and dilapidated by Barking and Dagenham council. Piles of earth are left dumped in the middle of the park, with mud, stagnant water, and shopping trollies on the site where the council have long promised yet failed to deliver an “improvement project”.
Speaking of the decline of Central Park, Conservative Action Team Member for Eastbrook and Rush Green Ward Ben Suter said: “The park was once a symbol of Dagenham. Now, it’s fallen to rack and ruin by this neglectful and incompetent Labour Council. We don’t get the investment we need, everything is on the down because of their incompetence. We can do so much better for our town”.
For many, the park has come to symbolise wider neglect and decay of large parts of Dagenham presided over the by the council. Its decline co-insides with the Council’s loss of control over its so called “Investment and Acquisition Strategy”. The council has become one of the most indebted in the country having racked up £1.2 billion of borrowing to build flats and apartments, many of which are unsafe. The Investment Strategy is currently loss making and is putting severe strain on the Council’s budget.
Sam Holland, Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Dagenham and Rainham is really concerned, he said: “The borrowing the council has embarked upon is not working. The council’s budget is under huge strain having to cover the losses in its failing investment strategy. Services are being cut to pay off highly speculative investments which aren’t making a return. The Councillors have ignored warnings and in effect, gambled away Council Taxpayers money. It must stop and act fast to prevent budgetary collapse.”
Ben Suter and Sam Holland in Central Park in Dagenham.
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I can recall when Central Park was triving, activities were available for children during school holidays with the Playleadership Scheme. Even entertainment once a week during the summer holidays.
Adults could play pitch and putt, tennis with their youngsters.
Then there was the great entertainment at the Civic Centre end of the park.
The whole of Dagenham has been neglected so that Barking town received more facilities and attention.
What the Council has done to Central Park isn’t the only neglected part of Dagenham. Take a look at most of our roads in need of urgent attention.