Lib Dems urge speedy conclusion to Gunnersbury funding fiasco

12.00.00am GMT Tue 15th Dec 2009

Lib Dem campaigners Joe Bourke and Mona Naqvi with Cllr Andrew Dakers outside Gunnersbury Museum

Hounslow and Ealing Liberal Democrats today reiterated calls for capital funding to be identified urgently for the regeneration of Gunnersbury Park, mansions and local history museum. Over the past two weeks - at both the Joint Advisory Group and Stakeholder Meeting - they urged Hounslow and Ealing Tory administrations to resolve how they will plug the funding gap. At their AGM on Sunday 6th December the Friends of Gunnersbury Park and Museum decided to call on the Secretary of State and English Heritage to put a Repairs Notice on both Councils directing them to immediately repair the stables and other buildings at risk in the park.

Cllr Andrew Dakers, Lib Dem Prospective MP for Brentford & Isleworth Constituency, said:

"The Friends are right to remind the Councils and Councillors of their responsibilities. I hope that a resolution to the capital funding gap will be found by the end of January 2010 ahead of both Councils' budgets. Then there will be no need for the Secretary of State and English Heritage to use these powers.

"From Jura, the consultant's, work it would appear the Councils need to contribute about £14-16m of capital funding to the regeneration. They have suggested that the regeneration programme will take 7-8 years from start to finish. It would therefore appear that with £1m set aside every year by each Council over 7-8 years we could build up a capital fund to deliver the regeneration. This must be clarified with urgency and the Councils must also commit to guaranteeing the current maintenance subsidy that goes to the park to support a new management organisation."

Cllr Jon Ball, Lib Dem Prospective MP for Ealing Central and Acton Constituency, added:

"The Friends' decision shows how important it is that Ealing and Hounslow's Tory administrations agree the way forward and announce how they will fund their commitments to the Park. That is the only way that residents can be reassured that the decades of neglect of the Park will shortly come to an end."

NOTES TO EDITORS

The Friends of Gunnersbury Park are calling on the Secretary of State and English Heritage to put a Repairs Notice on both Councils directing them to immediately repair the stables and other buildings at risk in the park. For more information on the legislation see 'Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990' - Chapter V Prevention of Deterioration and Damage, Sections 47-50, http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1990/ukpga_19900009_en_4