The Friends of Lever Park

Looks like we’ve been here before, GoApe are at it again, this time down in Eastleigh in Hampshire. Eastleigh BC are threatening local protestors with fines and possible jail for displaying protest signs in their gardens. GoApe state their only involvement is that their name is on the signs, wonder why. Lets hope we can help them head off the GoApe onslaught before its too late. Watch this space for updates. We are offering our assistance.

A recent email to mail@leverpark.co.uk:

I have recently completed my 22yrs service in the Armed Forces, and have not been home for the past 3yrs, I am absolutely sick to the stomach at what I found on one of my runs round the first creek, this Go Ape is a hideous blemish on my local landscape and should be removed post haste, any help you need in achieving this I will be very accommodating, didn’t I read somewhere that Leverhulme gave the park to the people of Bolton to wander freely around, if you have action meetings to achieve your goals I will be only too happy to help, my home village of Rivington is a lot busier than when I was younger, to be frank it disgusts me.

Yours, a concerned CSM A R Kay Ex 1GG and Rivington Village dweller

Judging by the amount of local and parishioner contributions to this web forum, one wonders has to whether the local inhabitants are concerned about the destruction of this beautiful part of the county.

It’s a pity that the wildlife can’t operate a computer or they would be flooding the airwaves.

I thought the day of being afraid of the landlords was well and truly gone.

It appears that some customers had to complain to the go-ape staff yesterday, the reason being was that other customers where completing part of the course then going on again and again to get their monies worth.

It appears that there were no staff present throughout the course to stop this practice (is it cost cutting?)

When a member of staff eventually challenged the offenders, they were ignored. Is there not an health and safety issue here, should a member of staff be present at every stage?

We received notification from the LGO on the 8thOct/09, that she will be finalising her report within the next month.

Whatever the outcome of the report, nobody should ever again stand by and allow such actions to go unchallenged.

If the Parish Council get a whiff of anything happening, they should deal with it ASAP and not wait for their next meeting. (which I’m led to believe is quarterly)

The local community have representation on various bodies, these representatives should bring any info out into the public domain. (stop being so secretive)

This development went through Delegated Powers because of apathy, local representation was to laid back .

If you want to protect Rivington and Lever Park, it will need more than meeting for cream teas.

This complaint has been hard work, I’ve had to put up with unbelievable arrogance and I’ve also had my eyes opened with regards to how certain local bodies behave.

Having said that, the Council have come up with a few plus’s.

There have been a few disappointments along the way, but I won’t name them on here, they know themselves who they are. What’s the saying “All talk and no action”.

Apathy is a sign of weakness, and the strong will punish you for it.

When go-ape submitted their planning application, they provided a nine page supporting document to the planning department.

On page 8 of the document they state that the course will be open between dawn and dusk during the summer. Why are they taking bookings throughout November?

British summer time starts on the last Sunday in March, and ends on the last Sunday in October.

Is this another statement by go-ape that the Council is going to ignore.

They have stated SUMMER and that should be it, if the Council allow them to breach this condition then what next, Christmas opening and then before you know it, the course will be open almost throughout the year.

It’ about time the Council stood up against the go-ape hierarchy, and for once stood up for the tax payers of the Borough and the supporters of Lever Park.

We’ve lodged a complaint with the Council, and it is being dealt with by Mr Peter Willacy.

If anyone wants to make contact with him over this matter, his email address is peter.willacy@chorley.gov.uk

I’ve heard on the grape-vine that Mr Padley has been moved to other pastures.

I wonder if he was notified in hard copy.

Councillor Goldsworthy (Leader Chorley Council) today asked for an apology with regards our comments that the LGO Investigation was ongoing.

He states that the Investigation is closed, and that there was no findings of maladministration.

Somebody somewhere has been on another planet for the last 12 months, because if the the file was closed I wouldn’t have continued putting evidence before the LGO.

Our last letter to the LGO went out on the 13th Sept/09, and I know for a fact that only last week Lindsay Hoyles office also sent a letter to the LGO with regards further issues.

There will be a great deal of comment over Councillor Goldsworthy’s remarks, and unfortunately it’s sad that the Leader of the Council is so badly informed, and he should therefore be asking serious questions of the people that put him in this position.

We have asked throughout that officers should be held accountable for this mess, well maybe some Councillors should be considering their positions.

Officers are accountable to the Council, and the Council is accountable to the public.

If the public start to question the trust, then maybe it’s time for a change.

If the Leader of the Council can be so badly informed, then questions need to be asked and answered.

I’ll keep it short and sweet. Maybe UU staff should walk the perimeter of the reservoirs regularly, because if they did, then they would have noticed the vast amount of debris left by illicit campers 2 weeks last weekend. This is not hidden, it is about 50 metres south of the castle 20 metres from the waterside against the iron railings. It consists of bottles, broken glass, paper, plastic etc, indeed I estimate some 60 or 70 items extremely visible in a small area. Maybe there is little UU can do to prevent it happening, but it concerns me that along with the current dreadfull state the pathways are throughout the park, this is just another less than encouraging sign of UUs poor management of one of the areas best historic parks.

Perhaps it would be a good idea for Mr Martin Padley to meet concerned members of the public, and walk the park.

And maybe he could explain to concerned visitors the reason for the general state of the park.

The general public aren’t interested in hard copies, what they want are honest and open explanations.