Hull, where they banned free exercise classes

Park Fitness Military style · Saturday, Mar 26, 2011 📸 Shared album · Tap to view!

The police saying its a civil matter, so its all brushed up under the carpet now?
1. Background and Initial Policy Manipulation
​Original Policy: The public park, approximately 130 acres in size, originally had two distinct commercial licenses available for external exercise vendors (e.g., fitness groups, boot camps). This system allowed for fair competition and diversity of services for the public.

​The Decision to Merge: The Park Management made a deliberate decision to merge the two existing licenses into a single, exclusive contract. This action immediately eliminated competition and created a monopoly for commercial exercise services within the entire park.
​Alleged Motivation: Documentation indicates that the primary, and potentially sole, purpose of merging the licenses was to secure and protect the private profits of a specific individual, the Sole Commercial Operator. This suggests the decision was made to serve a private financial interest, directly contrary to the public duty to maintain fair competition and revenue generation for the council.

​2. Anti-Competitive Tender Design
​Non-Competitive Tender: Following the merger, the terms and conditions for the resulting sole contract were allegedly drafted to ensure that only the Sole Commercial Operator could successfully bid.
​Deliberate Exclusion: The terms were reportedly designed around the historical operating needs and history of the Sole Commercial Operator, resulting in a bid price and specification that was deliberately unaffordable and exclusionary for any potential competing operator. This suggests a pre-determined outcome, effectively making the tender process a sham.

​3. Restriction of Public Access and Activity
​Public Ban Enacted: As a direct result of the sole rights contract, the Park Management instituted an unprecedented and blanket ban on all other forms of organised public exercise within the park boundaries.
​Scope of the Ban: This restriction included, but was not limited to, professional, non-commercial training, free community fitness groups, and informal group activities such as yoga. Reports indicate that even individuals performing their own exercise routines were subject to challenge or prohibition.

​Impact: This abuse of licensing power severely restricts the public's right to freely use public land for health and well-being, effectively monetizing all fitness activity for the benefit of the Sole Commercial Operator.

​4. Systemic Cover-Up and Failure of Governance
​Official Endorsement: When the Park Management's actions were formally challenged, his supervisors, including the individual identified as the Senior Official (who has since retired from his 100k a year post), actively defended the decision and made it official council policy. This suggests that the misconduct extended beyond a single manager into the higher administrative levels.
​Political Interference: The Park Management's actions appear to have been tacitly protected or ignored by the local council due to the manager's active role in campaigning for a local Member of Parliament (MP).?

​Council Inaction: The local council has acknowledged the complaints but has officially chosen to dismiss the matter, treating it as a standard administrative issue rather than a serious ethical and potential criminal breach of public trust (Misconduct in Public Office).

​⚠️ Conclusion
​The documented facts suggest a sustained and deliberate pattern of Misconduct in Public Office, where public assets and administrative power were allegedly manipulated to favour a single private entity for financial gain, resulting in the severe restriction of public access to a key community resource. This was allegedly upheld and formalised by senior administrative figures despite clear evidence of anti-competitive and unethical practice.

Only in Hull ! To think that group exercise was banned for over 11 years.
Shame on those responsible

More process is the punishment from labour. They send police to shut you up on reporting THEIR crimes.
Malpractice in public office is a criminal offence for example....tbc.
This guy would be in jail when/ if they ban a right to a jury.. took just 17 minutes for ' normal people " to aquit him!
This is what a cronyism infested council would happily do, sorry.. DOES!.. to anyone daring to speak out!

over 11 years now....and finally....well, wait and see..

Over 8 years now.. reported, documented and historically irrefutable facts showing how a few bad apples can ruin a full city's parks, when you have cronyism/mates & local politicians looking out for you...
Hull used to be the most physically active and sporting city in the UK!
In the late 80s & 90s for example, we had over 28 DIVISIONS of Sunday football teams.
Imagine one team manager being able to buy a rights deal to a public park which then bans all other forms of exercise groups... ! This is what's gone on since 2013.
Hull culture Ltd and some of the most arrogant, useless management who have systematically destroyed Hulls once thriving outdoor fitness scene..
Local politicians knew of it and changed nothing as the people it all revolves around seem untouchable..when you drink with your boss, and local mp .. who can help?
If you factually name the men, backed up with hard evidence..they run to the police crying Harrassment.
A Report is due any day now though from an independent govt body..
Fingers crossed for putting community interests over profit protection scheme?
I Hope to simply see far more choice back in our parks..
Especially in the mental health nightmare world of covid too.. exercise is the most effective way to combat it..
Hulls parks should encourage exercise, not ban it!

https://www.change.org/p/hull-city-council-stop-actively-blocking-offers-to-train-people-in-our-parks
Nearly 400 genuine signatures totally ignored by local politicians and bad apple managers who set up profit protection scheme where you can buy a govt owned parks rights to get healthier..
Dont be the best..just a crony?
Disgusting abuse of a public office role when true wealth is health?

Sign the Petition Stop actively blocking offers to train people in OUR PARKS

Im putting the rock down, fighting selfish cronys is shouting in the wind...I'll wait for the karma effect... ;) which can take many forms ;)

Our parks are a disgrace. A shadow of what they once were."

That's the message the public needs to hear. Go back 20 or 30 years, and Hull's parks were buzzing with life—20 thousand people, made up of sports teams, and fitness groups every single weekend. Now? A pathetic 1,500 at best.

While Parkrun is a fantastic initiative, it's just a band-aid on a gaping wound. The decline is no accident. It's the result of one individual in a park management role, and their cronies, who have pushed a 'profit protection scheme' that strips the public of their choices and their parks.

It's a disgrace that a team with zero relevant experience is allowed to enforce this on our city. They protect their own and have zero regard for the community they're supposed to serve.

This isn't just incompetence—it's arrogance. It's a blatant disregard for the people of Hull, a betrayal of their duty. Our tax money is being wasted on people who are failing us, and who are never held accountable. An independent investigation would expose the truth: the laziness and incompetence at the top of Hull Culture and Leisure Ltd, while the hardworking people on the front lines suffer.

If only a councillor was brave enough to demand to know Who" and "Why"?..and then STOP/END it, better still start to reverse this terrible trend..
"Who is to blame for the death of our parks?"
The team behind it actually stated 'they do not want more people getting fitter in the parks and there needs to be limits, they said 'its just like selling hot dogs, only 1 stand allowed' (all documented ) This, in a city with the most junk food shops in the country, per capita of population?

The answer is simple: The people running them. Hull's parks are a ghost town compared to 20 or 30 years ago. We've gone from 15,000 to 20,000 people a weekend to less than 1,500.

Sure, Parkrun is a success story, but it's not enough. The decline is deliberate. It's the result of a single person in a park management role and a backroom deal designed to protect their profits, not our parks.

This isn't a mistake; it's a "profit protection scheme." And it's enforced by a team that has no business making decisions for our community. They lack the experience and the care, yet they are given the power to strip away our parks' vitality.

This is a deep betrayal of public trust. The people in charge are arrogant and uncaring, and they're failing to serve the very community that pays their salaries.
Why is there no accountability?
Why does the council never step in?
It's time for an external investigation to uncover the truth and hold those responsible to account.
The public deserves to know how their tax money is being squandered by incompetent leadership. Liberal Democrats leading HCC now a good few years...STEP UP!

To estimate the cost of paying Karl Turner as a Member of Parliament (MP) since his election, we need to consider his MP salary, potential additional allowances, and other publicly funded expenses. Karl Turner has been the Labour MP for Kingston upon Hull East since May 6, 2010. Below is a breakdown based on available information.
MP Salary
MPs in the UK receive a standard salary, which is set by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA). The salary has increased over time due to annual adjustments. Below are the approximate annual salaries for MPs over the relevant period, based on historical data from IPSA and other sources:
2010–2011: £65,738
2012–2013: £65,738 (frozen due to economic conditions)
2014: £67,060
2015: £74,000 (significant increase after review)
2016–2017: £74,962–£76,011
2018–2019: £77,379–£79,468
2020–2021: £81,932–£82,192
2022–2023: £84,144–£86,584
2024–2025: £91,346 (as of April 2024, per IPSA)
For simplicity, we can estimate an average annual salary over his tenure. From 2010 to 2025, the salary has ranged from approximately £65,738 to £91,346. Assuming an average of around £78,000 per year (a rough midpoint adjusted for inflation and pay rises), and considering Turner has been an MP for approximately 15 years (May 2010 to September 2025), the base salary cost is:
\[ 15 \text{ years} \times £78,000 \text{ per year} = £1,170,000 \]

This is a rough estimate, as actual salaries varied year to year. For a more precise figure, we’d need exact annual salaries, but IPSA’s historical data confirms salaries have generally increased from £65,738 in 2010 to £91,346 in 2024.

# # # Additional Roles
Turner has held roles such as Shadow Solicitor General (2014–2016), Shadow Attorney General (2016), and Shadow Shipping, Aviation, and Road Safety Minister (2017–present). These shadow cabinet roles do not typically come with additional salaries beyond the standard MP salary, unlike government ministerial positions. Therefore, no additional salary costs apply for these roles.

# # # Expenses and Allowances
MPs can claim expenses for costs related to their parliamentary duties, such as staffing, office costs, travel, and accommodation. These are also regulated by IPSA and publicly reported. According to data from Parallel Parliament and IPSA:

- **Staffing and Office Costs**: These are capped by IPSA but vary based on constituency needs. For example, in recent years, MPs have a staffing budget of around £200,000–£250,000 annually and an office budget of approximately £20,000–£30,000.
- **Travel and Subsistence**: These are uncapped but must be justified. Turner, representing a constituency in Hull, may claim travel between Hull and Westminster, as well as local travel.
- **Accommodation**: MPs outside London can claim accommodation costs for staying in London during parliamentary sessions, typically up to £20,000–£25,000 per year.

Precise expense claims for Turner are available via IPSA’s website, but as an estimate, MPs typically claim £150,000–£250,000 annually in total expenses. Assuming an average of £200,000 per year over 15 years:

\[ 15 \text{ years} \times £200,000 \text{ per year} = £3,000,000 \]

Total Estimated Cost
Combining salary and expenses:
\[ £1,170,000 \text{ (salary)} + £3,000,000 \text{ (expenses)} = £4,170,000 \]

# # # Notes
- The estimate does not include pension contributions, which MPs receive as part of their remuneration package (similar to other public sector workers).
- Turner has not held government ministerial roles, which would have included additional salaries.
-
4 MILLION POUNDS HE'S COST AND DONE WHAT??..
Laziest mp and most useless. Get rid next election ( recall be even better)

Story idea been looking into...
Firstly picture the ariel view of what the KC stadium will look like for this weekends Derby match...20,000 people filling the stadium...
Then picture it with only 1500!!
Why..?
In the 1990s, Hull was alive with over 250 amateur sports clubs—football, rugby league, and rugby union—fielding 15,000 to 20,000 players every weekend. Pubs, factories, and communities rallied together, making Hull the UK’s most active city. Today, only 37 to 78 clubs remain, with just 550 to 1,500 players. The soul of our grassroots game, once free and communal, has been replaced by paywalls—gyms and trainers charging what clubs once gave for nothing.”

Why do you think there has been such a massive drop in not just the amount of people into physical activity, but we all used to go out after matches too.
Our city was the most physically active city in England, not just sports but also socially active after playing. New town, old town, the avenues, Beverley etc..all use to be heaving with people.
How sad the way it is now.
If you regularly exercise, you are in a tiny minority, less than 7% , down from 10%....
Are this council part responsible for the decline? ( selling off parks, sole deals yet allow 1000s of fast food places)
Or mobile phones? Less pubs is a huge factor as a lot of teams played from a pub or club.
Bigger picture is ...

" How to get people active again"" ?
When the heads of our council health dept told me at an interview, they prefer throwing money on free dental checks for travelers rather than fund local trainers, I feel the council are hiring the wrong people.
When 1 park manager can suggest merging 2 licences to give sole rights , and if you challenge it, they send the police round? That's morally wrong too.
But ignoring that " part".. We'd all be measurably fitter, physically active and socially and mentally better if MORE choice was available?
Paying to stifle choice doesn't make you the best, it forces it to one choice to maximise your profits. The exact opposite of giving back to the community. Could you even imagine back in the 90s that our local govt would look at 2025 with a 90% less active city, and those in charge / responsible just keep getting paid to fail like this ?
The whole city has continually suffered from not having one politician who would fight to try keep more people active.
Is it due to utterly selfish people in charge .most of who never even look after themselves with regular fitness training? Surely not? So what happened? More importantly, how can we reverse it?
So glad to have lived through the 90s, 00s playing .
So sad that more people have far less choice today...and that this bunch in charge, actively force LESS on the whole city.
Remember only 1 park in 12 years has ever took up the profit protection scheme! One!!!
Shame on those responsible