CAN I thank Gary Bebbington for expressing his support for the work that needs to be done in Longbarn Park and doing his bit in Grappenhall in Opinion, July 3.

He will be aware that earlier in the year I raised the need to improve the state of Poulton North Parks. The first residents to take up the offer lived near Parkfields Park. We have held five meetings so far and met with Warrington Borough Council officers to learn more about what has happened to Parkfields since the New Town handed it over.

I have walked the site with the original landscape architect to understand more about its construction. He has ideas about where improvements can be made.

We are in the process of setting up a friends group and have been joined by local historian Mark Olly who has explained the park’s mystic features. We have held a litter pick and filled 14 black bins liners along with fly-tipped material and won a concession to get grass around the large stone circle on a regular basis.

A few weeks ago I turned my attention to Longbarn Park and met with 20 angry people who were concerned about the state of their park. Once again an officer explained reasons behind this park’s demise which are largely centred on poor drainage and inability to get heavy cutting equipment on to the fields. This tall grass does contain excrement from dogs whose owners allow them to roam free. I have reported details and descriptions of owners.

Some drainage work was completed last year near Nook Lane but it is unlikely that this will have a great impact on the large field. However, during our walkabout drainage covers were identified near to the four large wooden stumps. Hopefully a solution can be found. If not then we will ask for the posts to be relocated to a drier area of the park. I have asked for the flytipped material is to be removed and the tree branches surrounding the street lamp head near the subway to be cut back.

Over recent years I have held street surgeries for residents who identified roots from poplar trees destroying gardens and threatening their foundations.

These trees have been replaced by a more suitable willows. In addition I managed to speed up a moss cleaning process on the play area and got it open in time for the August bank holiday. On a previous occasion I worked with residents and CSOs to get rid of nuisance youths drinking in the park and causing havoc on their way home down Meadow Lane.

I recently started a ‘shear and snip service’ where I cut back the rapid growth of branches and brambles. Where this has been beyond my capabilities I have requested the services of Street Scene.

People can like the Friends of Poulton North Park that has been set up as well as the specific Friends of Longbarn, Parkfield and Peel Hall Parks that have been created to inform people about what is going on and how to take part.

CLR GEOFF SETTLE Fearnhead