Hull councillors 'hellbent on standing in the way' of Pearson Park friends' group
The chairman of a voluntary group says relations with a council-run trust managing the city's Pearson Park have completely broken down.
The Friends of Pearson Park group has been running for about seven years.
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Councillor John Fareham was 'disappointed' at Dr Haris Livas-Dawes' remarks.
But its chairman Dr Haris Livas-Dawes says relations with the Pearson Park Trust, which is made up of councillors, have all but collapsed.
She said: "You would think the trust would want to work in partnership with a group of volunteers who share a passion for the park and are prepared to devote a lot of their time and energy to improving it.
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"However, the exact opposite seems to be case."
Dr Livas-Dawes said three incidents over Christmas had brought things to a head.
She claimed the trust had refused plans by the Friends to install a sign promoting a new health trail and had also vetoed the idea of having a "community Christmas tree" for people to decorate outside the park's café.
Instead, the trust went ahead with its own decorated tree near the park's Victorian conservatory
She said the final straw came when the trust refused to meet members of the group to discuss a new list of suggested priorities for the city's oldest public park.
"The park belongs to the people but we have a situation here where a group of councillors meet behind closed doors as trustees and try to dictate what goes on in the park.
"They tend to forget they were elected as representatives of the people."
Dr Livas-Dawes said her personal relationship with trust chairman Councillor John Fareham was not good, having previously lodged a standards board complaint about his alleged behaviour towards her during a council meeting.
She said: "I don't particularly care for him and I'm sure he doesn't particularly care for me but that should not get in the way of how the trust should be working with the Friends.
"It's not just about two individuals, the Friends have got 70 members who all want to see the park flourish.
"Unfortunately, the trust appears to be hellbent on standing in the way of everything the Friends want to do."
Cllr Fareham said he was "disappointed" at Dr Livas-Dawe's remarks.
He said: "It's probably true we don't care for each other that much but this is not about individuals.
"The trust is there to run the park and that is something Dr Livas-Dawes has never been able to understand.
"We decided the sign wasn't necessary because people don't need to be told where to walk or jog.
"It is a park with footpaths for walking and jogging on.
"We didn't have any problem with the Christmas tree, apart from the suggested location and eventually it went up at the Pearson Park Hotel.
"As trustees, we have to adhere to the trust deeds and manage the park accordingly."
Comments
by cazmarelda
Thursday, January 17 2013, 7:07AM
“The problem with the Avenues is the mindset of some of the residents who truly believe it is the 'place to live' for left wing academics. Due to the fact that some lecturers live down them alongside other 'academics'.
I lived down one of the Avenues for 1 year and it is a terrible area to live in, many of the big houses are now flats and low grade ones at that. Mainly housing immigrants and indigenous unemployed. There is often trouble among these residents that spills out onto the streets and remarks are often made to passerby's (especially female) very intimidating.
I hated living there and would not live there again under any circumstances.
Princes Avenue is now just full of cafe bars and there is no real sense of community. Pearson Park is run down and used mainly by undesirables to 'hang around'. The duck ponds are in a disgraceful state.
I think the days when 'I live down the Avenues' was something to perhaps be proud of are long gone - unfortunately there are still a few old-type residents who still believe it is a 'desirable' place to live. These are mainly people full of their own sense of importance and basically snobs who cannot admit the Avenues are now s*** and full of undesirables and a few deluded snobs!”
by fairway1
Wednesday, January 16 2013, 6:19PM
“Dr Haris Livas-Dawes needs to go back to knitting or whatever it's day job actually is.
She crossed the line when she started to waffle on about how she doesn't care much for Cllr Fareham. When she did, she put her own personal interests before the interests of the area. She will not be happy with anything the council suggest or do unless she can take the credit for it or it fits in with her agenda.
Throwing your dummy out of the pram will get you no where Dr Livas-Dawes, hence why Cllr Fareham has been elected - several times - by the public and you have not. Stop interfearing and making a thorough nusance of yourself unless you have something useful to contribute.”
by newlad
Wednesday, January 16 2013, 3:31PM
“Arrogant councillors , grow up , stop playground politics like a bunch of school kids .
As for Fareham !!!! Well , least said the better”
by Mark_Hull_65
Wednesday, January 16 2013, 2:22PM
“"They tend to forget they were elected as representatives of the people."
Yes... And you weren't.
Just another bunch of self-important, self-righteous, self-appointed busy-bodies.”
by Northern_Red
Wednesday, January 16 2013, 12:43PM
“As a local resident living near Pearson Park i find i am better off visiting other parks in the city than this one... It is run down...”
by Ianm_hull
Wednesday, January 16 2013, 12:35PM
“This is why we can't have nice things”
by charleswelton
Wednesday, January 16 2013, 12:11PM
“ColinInglis, we're not interested in your playground politics, go and do something useful with yourself.”
by dontwo
Wednesday, January 16 2013, 11:21AM
“When the Council replanted some new flowers down the Avenues wasnt this the lady who complained that because of the spacing they had been put down too "civic looking"?
She also said the original plants had made people realise they were entering somewhere "important". That sadly gives me the impression she is either some kind of eco warrior an elitist snob, or to use the pc term an eccentric.
Community spirit is a good thing, but it seems Dr Haris Livas-Dawes wants to extend her spirit further afield than the Avenues.”
by PatrickNewman
Wednesday, January 16 2013, 10:55AM
“It must be a new experience for Cllr Fareham to be 'tarred' with the association with Hull City Council”
by ColinInglis
Wednesday, January 16 2013, 10:53AM
“Comments, apparently from Swanland and Welton so far, presumably bidding to be part of Greater Hull! Oh and now London, we have no territorial ambitions in London.....
I'm going to stick up for my Conservative colleague Cllr. Fareham, he is very committed to Pearson Park, to running it well for everyone and to improving it. He is also a consistently elected representative of the "people", unlike Haris Livas-Dawes who has failed to get herself elected on more than one occasion.”