Three Peterborough parks have retained the prestigious Green Flag Award - marking them out as some of the best open spaces in the country.
Central Park, Itter Park and Manor Farm Park in Eye have all been confirmed as having maintained the sought after accolade and are among 2,250 sites in the UK to achieve the status.
Formal judging took place earlier this year at Itter Park and Manor Farm Park. Central Park has now held the award for the 23rd consecutive year, whilst Manor Farm has had 13 consecutive Green flag awards.
The international accolade, now in its 29th year, highlights that the parks, maintained on behalf of the council by Aragon Direct Services, hold the highest possible environmental standards. They are exceptionally maintained and managed, with high-quality visitor facilities.
The Green Flag Award scheme, managed by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy under licence from the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, recognises and rewards well-managed parks and green spaces, setting the benchmark standard for the management of green spaces across the United Kingdom and around the world.
Councillor Angus Ellis, Peterborough City Council's Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport, said: “I am absolutely delighted that once again three of our parks have retained this prestigious award. This is testament to the hard work and dedication of the teams at Aragon, who have maintained these much-loved spaces to such high standards.
"I also want to thank the volunteer groups who support these parks. They help promote the use and care of the parks’ facilities within their communities, seek funding and park improvements, and provide valuable feedback to the council and in turn, Aragon.
“As a council, we are fully committed to creating a greener city and reducing carbon emissions. We also know how much quality green spaces matter to residents and we will continue to maintain them to the highest standards.”
Green Flag Award Scheme Manager, Paul Todd MBE, said: “Quality parks and green spaces make the country a heathier place to live and work in, and a stronger place in which to invest.
“These parks are vital green spaces for communities in Peterborough to enjoy nature, and during the ongoing cost of living crisis it is a free and safe space for families to socialise. They also provides important opportunities for local people and visitors to reap the physical and mental health benefits of green space.”
For more information about Central Park visit here. For more information about the Green Flag Awards visit www.greenflagaward.org.uk