Council charges school to use public park

Rickmansworth Park JMI School backs onto the park

A school has been told by a local council it must pay £7.90 per hour to use a nearby park.

Rickmansworth Park JMI School in Hertfordshire, which does not have a playing field, said it had used the land since 1977 for activities and lessons.

The school wrote to parents and accused Three Rivers District Council of "penalising" children by stopping its "unrestricted access".

A council spokesperson said it had been flexible with the school.

The school's letter informed parents that it had offered a contribution towards grass cutting at the park.

Families were told an hourly rate would limit how much pupils could use the land for lessons and parents wishing to show support were urged to contact the council.

"We strongly believe that it is essential that we continue to have unrestricted access to this green space for the benefit of all of the children," the school said.

The council said it agreed to cut the grass shorter for the school's sports day

Three Rivers District Council said it "remains open and willing to help the school, however it cannot subsidise its sporting activities".

The council said in 2022 it introduced an alternative grassland management initiative for the benefit of biodiversity, "while balancing the need for public access to green spaces".

This meant the grass in certain areas of the park was allowed to grow longer and would be cut less often.

The local authority said, that in 2023, it agreed to cut the grass shorter in the park for the school's sports day.

Lines were also painted on the grass for the school, a spokesperson said.

"Rickmansworth Park is a public park, not a school playing field," it said.

"The council is however content to permit the school to use the land providing the usual hire of grounds rules are followed."