The comments about Gunnersbury Park are misplaced I think. In previous decades Hounslow and Ealing Councils found a way to maintain the parks for the local community. For decades you could drive there and park for free. Now large parts of the park are not available to free use by the community. No doubt the quango which runs it needs revenue to pay office staff salaries.
Hounslow and Ealing rate payers have no direct way of firing the park bosses if they feel things aren't 'right'. When the park was run by a Council, citizens had rights to question Councillors and probably Council Officers. We could all get rid of non-performing Councillors (or certainly try to get rid of them) after 5 years. No chance any of us unseating Gunnersbury Park management. This is a real democratic deficit. |