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05 Apr 2004 - 31 Dec 2004 The Royal Parks welcomes 'positive' NAO Report All Eighty-eight percent of Londoners say that The Royal Parks are as good as, or better than, any other park they'd visited in the previous 12 months, according to the National Audit Office Report published on Friday 2nd April 2004. The Report covers the eight Royal Parks which encompass over 5,000 acres, 280 buildings & monuments, more than 100 miles of roads & paths and 49 miles of boundary walls & fencing. The Report confirms that the Parks are enjoyed by millions of people each year and states that they are highly regarded for their horticultural standards. It also points to significant amounts of infrastructure related work that need to be done, which The Royal Parks currently estimates would cost about £110 million. Sara Lom, Director of Public Affairs for The Royal Parks, said, 'We welcome this positive NAO report. It says that there is lots to be done and recognises that the Parks are meeting the challenge. The Royal Parks have made great progress in the last couple of years and this report offers several sound proposals for building on the good work we've been doing. 'We receive £23.7 million from government for the Parks. More than £7 million of that goes straight into policing the Parks, which results in great public safety and exceptionally low levels of crime. Over 40% of the remainder goes straight into maintenance. We annually raise more than £6 million ourselves, from events, concessions etc. and our new charity, the Royal Parks Foundation, will make a great difference to our ability to raise further funds, which will go to safeguard the Parks for future generations.' The Royal Parks prioritises the works budget, giving top priority to health and safety issues and compliance with statutory requirements. The Royal Parks' long-term strategy is to identify major projects that will attract partnership funding and to include key infrastructure work within them, e.g. The Bushy Park Restoration Project and the Regent's Park Sports Project. The NAO report endorses the recent work done by The Royal Parks on their management processes and praises the various educational and community projects undertaken across London, including the Holly Lodge Centre in Richmond Park (catering specifically for those with learning and physical disabilities) and Liberty Drives in Hyde Park & Kensington Gardens (providing transport around the Parks for the elderly and those with mobility problems). It also welcomes the development of new Events, Education and Volunteer strategies. - ENDS - Source: The Royal Parks The Royal Parks Press Office, T: 0300 061 2128 E: press@royalparks.gsi.gov.uk Editor's notes: The Comptroller and Auditor General, Sir John Bourn, is the head of the National Audit Office which employs some 800 staff. He and the NAO are totally independent of Government. He certifies the accounts of all Government departments and a wide range of other public sector bodies; and he has statutory authority to report to Parliament on the economy, efficiency and effectiveness with which departments and other bodies have used their resources. www.nao.gov.uk Millions of Londoners and tourists visit the eight Royal Parks for free each year. The 5,000 acres of carefully conserved historic parkland provide unparalleled opportunities for enjoyment, exploration and healthy living in the heart of the capital. The Royal Parks are: Bushy Park, Green Park, Greenwich Park, Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, Regent's Park (with Primrose Hill), Richmond Park and St James's Park. |
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