THE current Friends of Whitehall Park group is facing the axe after being labelled as “undemocratic and un-British” by Blackburn with Darwen Council.

Last November, the group changed its constitution to make sure that nobody could join the group until the annual meeting each year and then they would have to wait a year before they could vote on anything.

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Now, after much dissatisfaction with the group, a meeting has been organised next month to see if they are willing to change their ways and reform.

If they don’t reform, the council has said it will take action.

Cllr Jim Smith, Blackburn with Darwen’s environment boss, said: “We have organised a meeting and everyone can come along and we can see if we can work out a way to start afresh, but this is about the park and not about personalities.

“What we have to remember is that the park belongs to everyone and if they are not prepared to reform then we may have to do that ourselves.

“The fact that you can join but cannot vote for a year is a very un-British way of doing things.

“It’s undemocratic.

“I must stress this isn’t an attack on the group, because over the years they have done a lot of valuable work and we are not having a go at them, but the park must come first.”

A number of people applied well over a year ago to join the group but were told they could not sign up until the AGM and then could not vote for another year after that.

The current system has meant that some people have had wait for over two years before they can have a say on anything to do with the park.

Whitehall councillor David Foster said the park was suffering because of these disputes and a lack of communication between the council and the friends group, and said that he is hoping they can sort things out.

He said: “These problems have been going on for about two years now and what I want to see is the friends group and the council coming up with a plan together.

“The paths are in poor condition amongst other things and this is about getting things moving in the park.

“For me, it would be a shame not to come to an agreement as they have done lots of good work.”