Dennis Clarke

1
Management of The Royal Parks
Dennis Clarke Head of Park Services
2
The Royal Parks Agency and how it manages the
Royal Parks

• Historical overview
• Governance
• Funding
• Management of the Parks

3
Historical overview

• Crown Lands Act 1851
• 8 Parks
• 2,000 hectares
• Executive Agency 1993
• Foundation 2003

4
Governance

• Secretary of State for Culture,
• Media and Sport
• Executive Agency within DCMS
• Royal Parks Board
• Executive Committee
• Audit committee
• Accounting officer

5
Royal Parks Structure

• Chief Executive and
• Deputy Chief Executive
• Directors, Heads of Services
• and Park Managers
• Specialist staff
• Bought in services e.g. legal
• Park Units with dedicated teams

6
Funding

• Government
• Commercial
• Foundation
• Partnerships
• Lottery funds and Grants

7
The Park Management Context

• Heavy Park use
• Very high profile
• International importance
• Historic, treasured
• landscapes
• Important buildings
• and monuments
• Biodiversity and key habitats

8
Aims of Park Management

• High Standards with well managed,
• quality parks
• Value for money and efficiency
• Flexibility and scope to adapt
• Public Accountability
• An exemplar within the United Kingdom
• Work with others in the industry
• to develop and share best practice

9
How do we achieve our aims?

• Good specifications
• Good materials
• Close supervision
• Contracts developed through
• experience and review
• Partnerships

10
How do we ensure we deliver?

• Review and Monitoring of our work
• Independent landscape assessment
• Green Flag and other judging
• Visitor Surveys
• Budgetary systems Core and Priority Work
• Staff training
• Apprenticeship Scheme

11
Management Systems

• Park Business Units
• Project Management
• Targets for delivery
• Accountability
• Staff Appraisal
• Planning

12
Planning in The Royal Parks

• Corporate Plan
• Business Plans
• Operation Plans
• Risk Registers
• Park Management Plans
• Conservation Plans

13
Examples of Recent Achievements

• High levels of visitor
• satisfaction
• Awards for Partnership
• work with our contractors
• Invitations to share best
• practice and give international
• presentations
• Strengthened relationships
• with stakeholders

14
Future challenges (and opportunities)

• Climate change
• Increasing use
• Spending review
• Skills
• Developing competition
• Olympics

15

Questions for Colin Buttery and Dennis Clarke