Please note, this is an archived story. Please check the date above.

The Friends of Herristone Park are holding their first formal meeting on Tuesday, November 7 at Crumpsall Labour Club on Wilton Road when they hope to vote in a committee.

An informal meeting was held in October when the secretary's post was filled but there were no volunteers willing to take on the job of treasurer or chair.

Local councillor Tom Lister agreed to be acting chair but, under the group's proposed constitution, elected members of Manchester City Council are barred from holding office.

A committee must be elected at the next meeting otherwise the group will be unable to operate as at least six people are needed to form a committee and three of those must be prepared to tackle the red tape.

Newly appointed secretary Chris Humphreys appealed for others to step forward to make the group a success.

She said: "It's great that Tom has volunteered to be acting chair, but under the constitution we are being asked to adopt on Tuesday, he won't be able to carry on indefinitely.

"That makes sense. If we want an independent community group, it's better if the people involved in running it are not part of the city council, that way any decisions made will be impartial.

"Obviously, we'll always be glad of the support of all our local councillors but the aim of the Friends is to empower the community to make decisions about what we want in the park."

The Friends group welcomes anyone with an interest in the future of Herristone park including people living nearby and particularly young people.

The next meeting will start at 7pm at Crumpsall Labour Club when anyone will be welcome to attend.