THE park keeper at Brough Park in Leek is one of six gardeners in the Moorlands being made redundant by council chiefs.

Julie Fletcher has worked at the town's main park for six years and has been park keeper since April.

The decision to get rid of her has outraged park users who claim there are already concerns about the state of the park as a result of staff shortages.

Julie is one of six gardeners who look after public spaces, including cemeteries in the Staffordshire Moorlands, that are facing redundancy.

The six, four from Leek and two in Cheadle, were told of their impending job losses on Friday. Their employment is set to end on September 30.

Julie, who lives in Cheddleton, is devastated. She said: "When I was told on Friday, I felt devastated. Now, I feel angry."

A new parks and open space management arrangement had been initiated earlier this year between Staffordshire Moorlands District Council and High Peak Borough Council as part of a strategic alliance.

Prior to this, Julie worked for Vale contractors who had responsibility for Brough Park.

Working 45 hours a week, mother-of-two Julie, aged 53, has been responsible for the entire Brough Park along with St Edward's Church grounds, and California Car park. Julie said: "I have got to know a lot of people in the park, both young and old. I am going to miss seeing people enjoy the park."

Regular park user Rita Rowley of Ballington Gardens said she was 'amazed' that the district council was getting rid of Julie and all its gardening staff.

She said: "She works her socks off. I see her on a daily basis and see her work so hard to keep that park clean and tidy. I just don't know how they can justify it."

Janet Broome, of Park Road, said: "It's very bad news. Julie is so conscientious and does her job properly. She is a lovely person who is always smiling. She is going to be sorely missed.

"I can't understand why the council are doing this. There is already an issue of the state of Brough Park due to lack of staff. With these redundancies, it can only get worse."

Russell Brooks, of Bottomhouses, said that Julie was a hard worker who was good at her job.

He said: "To make someone as hard working as Julie redundant is ridiculous."

The Post & Times spoke to one of the three members of the Closed Cemetery Cutting Team who are also being made redundant.

The man, who did not want to be named, said: "We cut the grass in 23 cemeteries in the district.

"I just don't know what the council is going to do now. It will have to get other gardeners to carry out our jobs as well as their own.

"We were understaffed as it was and there had been concerns about the length of the grass in some of the cemeteries."

The six redundancies come in the wake of a number of complaints about the current state of Brough Park.

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