Council is blasted over fence actions

3:55pm Friday 18th April 2008

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Richmond Council has been warned about the importance of consulting the public in a damning new report.

The installation of a controversial metal fence in Buckingham Fields, Hampton, caused outrage in June 2005 after a previous administration allowed it to go ahead without discussing it with residents.

Nearly three years later the Buckingham Fields scrutiny task group has published its scathing findings over the "saga" of the 12ft "ill-advised monstrosity". The group was formed in December 2006 to investigate Richmond Council's actions during the project. It criticises council officers for operating strictly, rather than correctly, within the law and describes their approach as unresponsive to residents.

It stated: "As a result of the mishandling of a public controversy, community relations and the reputation of the local authority were damaged, a great deal of officer time was unnecessarily expended at significant cost, and the council lost control of the public park and open space."

The £50,000 fence, paid for by the Lottery Commission, closed off a previously free-to-use area of public greenery - establishing the land as an exclusive playing field for Hampton Community College (HCC).

The task group decided that poor communications between the Local Education Authority and HCC, which was suffering an internal crisis of change, led to the community remaining in the dark over proposals.

It noted: "Perhaps the most striking feature of this episode was the apparent inability of the council to intervene to improve a deteriorating situation."

The report provides recommendations to the council over future approaches to similar situations - giving a greater emphasis on thorough consultation processes and dealing with controversy.

Leader of the council Serge Lourie said: "I think the council should consider the recommendations seriously. I intend to ask for a report to the cabinet as soon as officers have had time to absorb the report."