• THE council claims it is “listening” to concerns of residents about the very few parks in Islington, but sadly I have seen no evidence of this (Last-ditch bid to save pitch. March 17).

Since the council’s initial application for a much-reduced pitch (seven-a-side) at Barnard Park was rejected by the council itself in July last year, those of us who think it essential to maintain the existing size of the pitch have had meetings with the council and been promised that we would be kept informed but it never happens.

We also asked to have a representative on the steering committee but that was impossible for no obvious reason. We are unable to discover who is on the committee but informal sources suggest that it is mainly people who want the pitch reduced in size and not a balanced cross-section of local society.

At least, Steve Griffiths from Copenhagen Youth Project (CYP) has been reinstalled – having been mysteriously dropped – and CYP is very keen to retain the existing size.

The Friends of Barnard Park (FBP) appears to have the ear of the council and other important people in the area and seems to regard the park and noisy horrible children as a nuisance.

As far as I know there is no other pitch like this in south Islington and if FBP and the council succeed, children (and all other users) will be the poorer. It would be an act of vandalism.

Reducing the pitch size and having more green areas might enhance the value of surrounding houses but that is not a justification for the council behaviour.

There is plenty of green space in the park for people who don’t use the pitch but instead enjoy strolling there or walking their dogs. FBP could have its “village green” without impinging on the size of the existing pitch.

MARGARET ROWE
Address supplied