A conservation group is calling on council leaders in Southampton to take a “more proactive” approach to securing funding for the city’s parks.

Graham Lineker, secretary of Southampton Common and Parks Protection Society (SCAPPS), focused his concern on the situation at Mayflower Park.

At the council’s annual court leet ceremony, Mr Lineker said SCAPPS was disappointed that so little had been done to make improvements after years of correspondence and meetings.

He highlighted that funding for work remained a “major constraint”.

“My presentment asks for a more proactive approach in seeking and securing funding from external sources so individual park improvements can go ahead more quickly,” Mr Lineker said.

He told the court leet jury of civic representatives that the council recently allowed a private business to use part of the park in Town Quay Road for a corporate hospitality event.

The local authority should ask for businesses wanting to use the park to help fund improvement projects which they could put their brand name on, Mr Lineker said.

Examples of schemes to improve the waterside open space included installing information boards about the port and cruise ships that could be seen from the park, the meeting heard.

Mr Lineker also urged the council to find ways to “break what seems to be becoming an annual cycle” of newly restored grass being immediately damaged by an event.

He said: “Over the past 12 months, the main grass area was fenced off from recreational use for four or five months for recovery after reseeding and then for one month each for first Seawork, then the boat show, and may well have to be closed off again this autumn for repair of damage from events.

“My presentment asks that we find a way to break that cycle.”

The representation from Mr Lineker was accepted by the court leet jury in the council chamber.

It will be considered by the council, with an update expected to be given at a future cabinet meeting.