Campaigners wait for park decision

A decision has still not been reached over the ownership of a neglected park in Bearwood, five months after a campaign was launched to see Sandwell Council take control of it from Birmingham.

Sandwell's deputy council leader Steve Eling accused the city authority of being "totally obstructive" throughout the crusade for Lightwoods Park in Bearwood. Lawyers have been called in by Sandwell chiefs in a bid to run Lightwoods Park, which is currently owned by Birmingham.

Campaigners have been calling for it to be transferred to see it better maintained.

But the authority have still not received a response five months after they had asked their colleagues at the city council to look into the issue.

Lightwoods Park is held as a charitable trust by Birmingham City Council but the beneficiaries are listed as the people of Smethwick.

The claim for the park is being made under the Local Government Act 1972.

Councillor Eling said: "I have spoken to Sandwell's head of legal to advise me that the matter is being taken up with the chief executive of Birmingham City Council by Sandwell Council to ask why they have not responded to the correspondence that they were sent in January.

"Birmingham are being totally obstructive in terms of this matter."

Councillor Eling added: "My interest in this is that we have a good quality of park and we haven't currently got a good quality park and people in the community regularly express their concerns to me about the quality of the park."

Birmingham City Council has in the past been criticised for failing to improve the park.

Residents and councillors have claimed council chiefs have neglected the park, which lies just inside the Sandwell border in Bearwood, in favour of cash being spent on leisure facilities based within the Birmingham boundaries.

A statement from Birmingham City Council read: "Officers from property services, trusts and charities and parks are currently in talks about the Sandwell request.

"Officers at Sandwell have been informed of the current state of play and understand this will not be an overnight decision."