SUPPORTERS of Corporation Park have voiced their concerns over potential redundancies of park staff.

Blackburn with Darwen Council has named staff at the park, along with staff who manage other green spaces in the borough, on a list of potential redundancies.

Park staff have been instrumental in working with the Corporation Park Supporters Group to submit an application to the Heritage Lottery Fund to fund the restoration of the park’s historic Victorian conservatory.

They also help the group to manage regular public events and work to reduce littering and anti-social behaviour in the park.

Mike Chamberlin, from Corporation Park Supporters’ Group, said: “We have at the moment a lottery bid that the council has put in for renovation of the conservatory. We’re worried that if people are not there after the end of March, then there will be nobody to carry that forward.

“We also organise a number of events in the park during the year and we will not be able to do them without a council park representative being present.

“If there’s nobody from the council to be in the park when we organise an event, we can’t do it.

“The park staff also do quite a lot to control what the youngsters are doing.

“If there is nobody in the park to do that, then the police will have to do it or it won’t be done.”

Corporation Park councillor Arshid Mahmood said: “Staff in the park attract people to the park and keep crime down.

“There is going to be a lot more for the police to do. The staff in the park are good value for money.

“I’m going to organise a meeting to see what information we can get from the council.”

A council spokesperson said: “As a council we are facing cuts of £31 million and all services across the council are currently under review.

“The council will have some tough decisions to make over the next months and no decisions have been made yet however residents will be kept informed.”