Councillors have welcomed new £65,000 funding that will help to rejuvenate a Blackburn park.
The money for Queen’s Park in Audley has been allocated from Section 106 Fund from Blackburn with Darwen Council, said local Labour councillors.
Audley and Queens Park Councillors Salim Sidat MBE and Ehsan Raja said they had ‘worked hard’ to secure the money for the park.
Councillors Salim Sidat MBE (below left) and Ehsan Raja said in a statement: “We are still trying to match fund that amount and will carry on talking to other partners.
“We have been listening to the community for the last few years and have been trying very hard to see if we can open the boating lake and also open a café for public use.
“Queens Park is a very beautiful park, it’s our jewel in the crown, and we want people to use but not abuse it. We have to work hard for our future generations.”
Tory Councillor Tiger Patel (pictured last year) said he had earlier this year campaigned to find funds to improve the park
He said: “I have been calling for action to renovate the park ever since I was elected in this ward. I have made visits to the park and helped to highlight that action was required. When I asked about this in the past I was told there was no funds.
“It is good that all of a sudden that money has been found.”
Conservative councillor Tiger Patel was joined by Deputy Lancashire Police and Crime Commissioner, Andy Pratt outside Queen’s Park this week.
It came following an announcement in July that £432,000 aimed at making the Queens Park and Highercroft areas safer, had been awarded, with activity including alley gating and home security packages.
It is part of a £750,000 that has been allocated to the area from the Safer Streets Fund.
Mr Pratt said: “It is really good to be at the Audley and Queens Park ward in Blackburn with Darwen as we announce the funding from the Safter Streets Fund.
“This money is going to be spent on reducing anti-social behaviour and crime across this area.”
Cllr Sidat said: “The funding will be spent on tangible measures that can be sustained beyond the lifetime of the programme and are proven responses that can reduce crime and improve detection.
“We also undertook a visual audit to catalogue contributors to crime and perceptions of crime in the local area, in order to develop our proposed response.”
Funding will be spent on eight CCTV installations and monitoring costs for three years; community engagement to help with cleaner areas; improvements to green spaces and multi-use game areas; domestic security for crime prevention.
It will also go to assistance with door locks and window locks; upgraded street lighting to update 140 street lights; assistance with community clean ups and other community engagements.
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