Bury Council Manager Elected as GreenSpace North West Chair

Date published: 24 October 2008

At the 2008 GreenSpace North West Open Forum held on Thursday 25 September at Tatton Park in Cheshire, Bury Council’s very own Parks and Countryside Manager, Mike Bent, was sworn in as new Chair of GreenSpace North West.

GreenSpace North West brings together the region’s local authorities, parks related communities and organisations with regional stakeholders from the industry as strategic partners advocating for parks and green spaces and supporting those involved with them. It is a regional forum of the national charity GreenSpace dedicated to improving parks and green spaces.

Norman Hudson, Service Director of Regeneration for Stockport Council had been the GreenSpace North West’s Chair, since the forum’s inception back in 2004. The forum was started by the AGMA Parks and Open Spaces Group. Stockport Council as members agreed to host a Development Officer funded by the Greater Manchester Authorities and supported by Norman.

He steps down after four years in the role after ensuring its successful establishment and making it, with nearly 200 networking members, the strongest forum nationally for the improvement of parks and green space. Mike Bent was elected to the position by all 2008 GreenSpace North West members, having been actively involved since 2004.

Mike said:, “This is a fantastic opportunity and I’m honoured to represent such a successful forum on behalf of all the North West’s local authorities, and partners, Norman has done an amazing job in his time as chair and thanks should go out to him for all of his hard work and effort; he will be a hard act to follow.”

Mike went on to say; “What we need to focus on now is teamwork, marketing and membership; advocating for parks and green spaces and increasing involvement and diversity within these essential areas to ensure that everyone feels the benefits of being a part of this excellent regional forum.”

Kirsty Rhind, Manager of GreenSpace North West, said “Bury Council’s parks and green spaces, including its play and countryside areas, will undoubtedly be highlighted by Mike in his new role. He will be giving the people of Bury and its surrounding towns a good reputation for their high quantity and quality of accessible parks and countryside areas. Not only will he put Bury’s green spaces on the regional map but through GreenSpace national and international attention will follow”.

“Bury will be able to benefit from the lessons learnt by similar parks and green space forums from as far away as Australia and America and closer to home in East Midlands and London, together with the essential work by Bury’s neighbouring districts and borough’s.”