Kaddy has asked for a judicial review of the decision to appropriate Bertie Park. Part of the challenge is that OCC have appropriated 80% of the park. They say that a new MUGA (Multi Use Games Area) on the 20% which is left will meet the current needs for somewhere to play football and basketContinue reading “Bertie Park’s MUGA as a postage stamp”
Tag Archives: Bertie Park
What Angela Rayner thinks about recreation grounds like Bertie
When Labour was elected, there was much talk about house building. We asked Anneliese Dodds if the government wanted to build on recreation grounds. This week we had a reply from Angela Rayner (read here). She said her Ministry (MHCLG) currently has no plans to undertake a review of recreation grounds for housing, adding thatContinue reading “What Angela Rayner thinks about recreation grounds like Bertie”
Bertie Park at Cabinet, and why we’re fighting on …
It’s taken a while to upload this as the council didn’t record the first part. We had to re-record. This is Michael giving the campaign speech: Cllr Linda Smith outlined the council’s position. She recommended that the cabinet note our objections, but appropriate the park: Councillor Hollingsworth said it would be unreasonable not to appropriateContinue reading “Bertie Park at Cabinet, and why we’re fighting on …”
What will OCC say on the 16th?
OCC cabinet will meet on 16th October to decide whether to appropriate Bertie Park for building. The 1972 Local Government act says that Councils can only appropriate a park if it isn’t needed. So OCC has to show that their new recreation facilities will do everything that Bertie park does. Not easy! The Multi UseContinue reading “What will OCC say on the 16th?”
16th October
On 16th October OCC’s cabinet will decide whether to appropriate Bertie Park for building. Even if a local authority already owns a recreation ground, they must appropriate it first before they can build on it. If they can’t appropriate, they can’t build! “Appropriation” is not a paper exercise, but has real consequences for our community.Continue reading “16th October”
The Bertie Park Mystery
Oxford City Council say: “At present, the expectation is” that OCC Cabinet will decide the future of Bertie Park on 16th October (The big decision). But they are not sure. 10 months ago, people were told that there were “legal issues”. 5 Months ago we asked again when Bertie would go to cabinet. Cllr Upton,Continue reading “The Bertie Park Mystery”
In Praise of Bertie Park
Last week was “Love Parks Week” in Oxford. Does OCC love Bertie Park? Oxford’s green spaces have many functions: environmental, economic, health and wellbeing etc. In 2022 Oxford City Council carried out a study of its Green Infrastructure (here). This picked out Bertie Park as special. Even though small, it is “multi-functional.” Bertie is estimatedContinue reading “In Praise of Bertie Park”
Bertie Park and the sewage problem
Our sewerage system cannot cope. Thames Water discharged sewage into the Thames 16,990 times in 2023. Many members of the Save Bertie Park campaign worry that building houses on Bertie Park could only make things worse. Two organisations could act to stop Thames Water from discharging sewage. One is the Environment Agency. This article fromContinue reading “Bertie Park and the sewage problem”
Bertie Park loses a cherry tree
This week there was concern when Oxford City Council had to cut down one of Bertie Park’s cherry trees. It is sad, but the tree had been condemned. You can see below a large hole in the side of the trunk, filled with gunge. The tree stump has a orange powdery mess in the middle.Continue reading “Bertie Park loses a cherry tree”
The big decision
Oxford City Council will meet on to decide whether to appropriate the land on Bertie Park for planning purposes. They have said that appropriation is simply moving land from “one budget to another” …. a “paper exercise.” But it has real consequences for our community. It is the difference between having a recreation ground andContinue reading “The big decision”
Save Bertie Park Oxford 