Parks to be locked at night in council U-turn

The gates of council-run parks and cemeteries in a city will be locked again at night after a spate of vandalism - and despite calls to reverse the decision.

In October, Norwich City Council decided that the gates of nine public areas would stay open at night in a bid to save the council about £40,000 each year.

But in recent days the authority has had to review its decision following reports of drug use and vandalism.

A council spokesperson said: "The subsequent knock-on effect of anti-social behaviour means we have reviewed our original thinking."

The nine city spaces include Heigham Park, Waterloo Park, Pulls Ferry, James Stewart Gardens - and both Rosary and Earlham cemeteries.

Waterloo Park is home to The Feed, a social enterprise cafe where staff reported "an increase in the activity compared to this time last year, when the gates were being locked."

Grace Stewart, who has worked there for three years, said she worried that if the gates had been kept unlocked during the summer months, the amount of vandalism would have been "exponentially higher".

"People will have seen on our social media we've had thousands of pounds worth of benches damaged, all sorts, people try to break in, people get on the roofs, damage our bins out the back all sorts," she said.

"As a charity it is really detrimental to what we are trying to do and I [believe] that over the summer months that it would have been a free for all."

Edd Watkinson has been part of a group of residents campaigning for the gates to be locked at night after his moped was stolen and ridden round Waterloo Park.

He said he was told by groundskeepers that there had been three separate incidents where motorbikes were stolen and dumped at the park.

"It's always good to hear the council is trying to save money, I think this particular one was a bit short sighted," he said.

"It's nice to hear they have U-turned and they are doing the right thing and closing them again."

A council spokesman said: "In order to balance our books for next year, we needed to make over £3m worth of savings.

"We look at all ways to achieve this, and this was a trial we explored. Ceasing to lock the gates at night would have saved £40,000 per annum.

"After listening to feedback from the public, partners and colleagues, we agreed to reinstate locking the gates at night and will look for savings elsewhere."

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