Green Flag Awards for Chippenham

We are thrilled to have been awarded a Green Flag Award for John Coles Park and Monkton Park, issued by the leading national environmental charity, Keep Britain Tidy.

This will be the eighth year for John Coles Park and the fifth year for Monkton Park that we have received this prestigious award.

Retaining this significant accreditation is a tremendous achievement, and we are incredibly proud that our parks continue to be recognised for their quality, sustainability and outstanding management.

Green Flag award is a meaningful recognition of the hard work and commitment Chippenham Town Council has to providing parks and open spaces which are not only valued by their communities, but also by the team of dedicated staff who take pride in their work to deliver consistent high standards.

Councillor Eric Wakeman, Leader, Chippenham Town Council, said of the news, “We are thrilled with this news, as so much work goes into making our parks and open spaces the best they can be, and continually improving so future generations can benefit and enjoy them just as much as we do, well done team!”

The Town Council works in partnership with Wiltshire Wildlife Trust to produce management plans for Monkton Park and John Coles Park. These comprehensive plans detail how the parks meet the assessment criteria, feed into the Town Council’s Corporate Strategic Plan’s objectives,  and set the vision for these spaces to enable them to be relevant to the current community and sustainable for the future.

Nick Self, Conservation Lead for North Wiltshire said in response to the news, “We are absolutely delighted that John Coles Park and Monkton Park have retained their Green Flag status. Wiltshire Wildlife Trust has a fantastic working relationship with Chippenham Town Council, and we are proud to support the team in securing this international accreditation. Developing comprehensive management plans for these spaces ensures they don’t just look wonderful today but are also managed sustainably to boost local biodiversity and remain resilient for nature and people into the future.”

The Green Flag Award judges assess against 27 different criteria which provide a framework for good management. Our award application needs to articulate that we have considered the following:

• the users – who they are, who they could be, what they want, how they are informed and involved
• the site – what is special about its history, biodiversity, landscape, social and physical setting, and what it is trying to achieve; and
• the management – that what is there is safe, in line with legislation and policy, well maintained, and that there are plans for the future

The themes for the assessment criteria:

• A Welcoming Place
• Healthy, Safe and Secure
• Well Maintained and Clean
• Environmental Management
• Biodiversity, Landscape and Heritage
• Community Involvement
• Marketing & Communication
• Management

At Chippenham Town Council, we understand that these criteria are essential to evidence for the rigorous judging process alongside being important for our community who care deeply about their local parks and open spaces. We receive regular feedback from park users who keep us informed on their preferences, suggestions and ideas for the future. This valuable feedback helps to inform our management plans and daily operational activities. This can include planting ideas, new bench locations, events and keeping us to account via our reporting process.

As we celebrate these retained awards, our thanks go to the staff team who care for the green spaces in Chippenham, the strategic vision of our councillors who support the management plans, and our community who love these parks and open spaces.

Paul Todd MBE, Green Flag Award Manager at Keep Britain Tidy, said: “Parks are essential public spaces that support our wellbeing, our communities and our economy. Yet for millions of people, particularly in the most deprived areas, local parks simply don’t feel safe or welcoming.

“With public services under pressure, investing in parks is not a luxury, it’s a practical, preventative solution and one of the most visible ways to improve people’s quality of life.”

The Green Flag Award is managed under license from the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG)1 by Keep Britain Tidy. Keep Britain Tidy have partnered with Keep Scotland Beautiful, Keep Wales Tidy and Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful to deliver the Scheme in the UK.