Everyone must treat the park with respect

Published Thursday, 1st November 2018

A special week of action has got underway in Rossmere Park to highlight the need for everyone to respect the park and to report any incidents of vandalism and anti-social behaviour.

Hartlepool Borough Council is due to start work shortly on £550,000 of grant-funded improvements to the popular park, including new play and leisure equipment and parking facilities plus enhancements to the pond area.

However, this has been overshadowed by recent incidents including vandalism to the public toilets, the starting of small fires and abusive behaviour towards the park security staff.

The week of action – which runs until Tuesday 6 November - is spearheaded by the Hartlepool Community Safety Team, which is made up of Hartlepool Borough Council, Cleveland Police and Cleveland Fire Brigade.

Rossmere Park week of Action - Day 1

Councillor Stephen Akers-Belcher and Councillor Ann Marshall, Vice-Chair of the Council’s Neighbourhood Services Committee (far left), with other members of the Hartlepool Community Safety Team and Council staff who were taking part in the first day of the week of action

Over the course of the week the Team will be active in the area, with the clear message that vandalism and anti-social behaviour won’t be tolerated, and local residents and park users are being urged to play their part in caring for this popular park by reporting – in confidence – any information about any incidents in the park.

Also throughout the week, the Council’s Grounds Maintenance Team will be carrying out a range of winter maintenance work around the park, including cutting back perimeter shrubs and clearing leaves, and its Enforcement Team will be keeping a check on the area for issues such as littering and dog fouling. Later in the week, the Friends of Rossmere Park and other volunteers will be lending a hand to help keep the park clean and tidy.

Councillor Stephen Akers-Belcher, Chair of Hartlepool Borough Council’s Neighbourhood Services Committee, said: “Like our other parks, Rossmere Park is an asset to the town and a bright future beckons for it in the form of the major investment in new facilities.

“Sadly, over recent months a small minority of people have been intent on spoiling things for everyone else, and we won’t tolerate this.

“The Hartlepool Community Safety Team is working hard to identify the culprits so that action can be taken against them and I would appeal to local residents to help us do this by reporting, in confidence, any information they might have by calling 01429 523100 during normal office hours or 101 outside office hours.

“Together we can help ensure that Rossmere Park and its staff are treated with the respect they deserve and the park continues to be enjoyed by people of all ages.”