U.K., Oct. 23 -- UK Parliament issued the following news:

Got gripes with grime and graffiti? Peeved by potholes? Tell the House of Lords Built Environment Committee how Britain’s public spaces can be improved!

The Committee has today launched its next inquiry: maintenance and enforcement in public spaces. We want to collect written evidence from as many people as possible, whether you’re a researcher, business owner, campaigner, or a member of the public.

Call for evidence

Inquiry: Maintenance and enforcement in public spaces

Built Environment Committee

In your submission, you can answer the Committee’s questions about how public spaces can be designed, maintained and improved. We’ll read and analyse this evidence and use it to write our report, including our recommendations for change. We will send these to the Government, who must reply to the Committee within two months. By making a written evidence submission, you can tell Parliament – and the nation – about what works and what needs to change in public spaces near you, and help influence Government policy.

Focus of the inquiry

From pavements to parks, we want to hear from you about how public spaces can be designed and maintained to maximise quality of life for residents, business, community groups, shoppers and tourists. Specially, we are interested in learning about:

What impact good and bad public spaces have on people, communities and businesses.

What common problems affect public spaces and how these can be overcome.

Who is best placed to manage and maintain public spaces.

What data about public spaces is collected and how this be used and shared.

Examples of best practice for maintaining public spaces and how these can be replicated around the country.

What recommendations we can make to Government about how their policies relating to public space can be improved.

Questions

1. To what extent do you think it is important that public spaces (such as parks, streets and town squares) are well maintained? Why? a. Can improving public spaces lead to improved wider outcomes for residents and communities? How? b. Can improving public spaces lead to improved wider outcomes for businesses? How? What evidence is there to support your answer? Where possible, please provide quantitative evidence.

2. What are the main challenges associated with the maintenance and enforcement of public spaces in the United Kingdom? What three recommendations would you make to fix each challenge? a. What data is available on how standards have changed over time and how they vary between areas? Where possible, please quantify the causes for this that you consider most significant.

3. Are current enforcement powers for local authorities, private landowners and the police adequate to enforce high standards in public spaces? Are they appropriate? a. What are the barriers to effective enforcement in public spaces? b. Which changes to powers or penalties would you recommend and why?

4. Do those responsible for public spaces have the necessary resources, powers and expertise to steward them? a. If they do not, what steps should be taken? Where possible, please provide an estimate of the associated costs. b. Are you aware of any data available to support your answer? For example, trends in staffing, specialist skills and spending over the past decade.

5. Which people, institutions or authorities are placed to maintain a high-quality public spaces? a. Does it matter if public spaces are privately owned or managed? Why or why not? What evidence is there to support your view? b. What role do you see for the voluntary sector and community organisations in maintaining high-quality public spaces, both individually and in partnership with local authorities and/or local businesses?

6. What steps can all levels of government take to improve public spaces? Why do you think these steps would work? a. Do you think current government interventions, including the Pride in Place Strategy, will help to improve public spaces? How could these interventions be improved?

7. How can new public spaces be designed, or existing public spaces be regenerated, to be both high-quality and encourage better long-term maintenance outcomes over time? a. What examples should the Committee examine to consider best practice in this area, and what lessons should be learnt?

8. In your view, what data is needed to monitor the quality of public spaces? Is this data currently collected consistently? What steps could be taken to increase the quality and availability of data?

9. What are the most successful initiatives at a local or regional level, or from abroad, that the Committee should look to learn from? Please say what results they achieved, how these were measured and evaluated and whether you think they could be replicated elsewhere.

10. What recommendations should this Committee make to the Government regarding maintenance and enforcement in public spaces? Where possible, please specify who should act, the estimated cost and how success should be measured.

The deadline for the submission of written evidence is 23:59 on Friday 13 November.

Further information

About Committees: Select committees

Visiting Parliament: Watch committees

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