Recently the Rye in Wycombe and Higginson Park in Marlow have both won prestigious Green Flag awards.

Its the second year running the Rye has won the award which is based on the use of green space, facility maintenance, and health and safety standards.

Its a real credit to Wycombe that we have an award winning park so close to the centre of town.

The other week I was in Marlow covering the plastic hedge debarcle and while there decided to walk down the High Street and spend a few moments in Higginson Park.

The park was really busy. The playground was absolutely packed with children all enjoying themselves and people of all ages were either walking though or enjoying themselves on the large expanse of grassland.

For anyone interested in golf Higginson Park even has its own putting course.

While there yours truly took a brief walk down to the river and rested on a bench for a while before making my way back to my trusty car. The time spent there was really nice.

There is no question that Higginson Park is of the finest standard and wholly deserves the Green Flag award.

It has been quite a while since my visit to the Rye so the other day it seemed like a good idea to go and take a look at Wycombe's award winning park.

After walking down Easton Street I crossed over on the pedestrian crossing and passing the historic Pann Mill made my way onto the Rye.

The first thing that greeted me was the mobile police station set up as part of operation Gauntlet to combat the high levels of crime seen there.

Looking at the police station made me feel uneasy after all how dangerous is the park if it needs a constant police presence? There was no need for the police when I visited Higginson Park.

Looking around the Rye it was fairly busy but not as busy as Higginson Park.

In the distance was the disused Holywell Mead pool. Sadly the pool was closed down by the Council.

Closing things down is something which our Council seems to excel at and no matter where you turn in Wycombe there is usually a building laying empty or boarded up as a result of their actions.

All attempts by local residents to re-open the pool have been rejected.

I decided to walk onto the Rye but kept within sight of the police station in case I was robbed. In the distance was the café.

Marlow has a magnificent brick and glass café with inbuilt toilet facilities however the café on the Rye is no more than a tin shed. Again the facilities in Marlow are superior.

There is no doubt the Rye is deserving of a Green Flag but sadly it comes a poor second when compared to Higginson Park in Marlow.

Come to think of it why hasn't Hughenden Park been given a Green Flag award as well?

Why does Higginson park have better facilities that the Rye after all they are all maintained by the same District Council?

Could this be yet another example of double standards and Marlow being given better treatment than Wycombe?

What do you think?