Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies were received from Alderman Paul Judge, Sylvia Moys, Virginina Rounding and Verderer Peter Adams.

Deputy McGuiness declared an interest in the Epping Forest Centenary

Trust. Mr Simons declared an interest in item 18 due his connections with Balfour Beatty: he retired from the room when this item was discussed.

To agree the minutes of the previous meeting.

Resolved – that the minutes be agreed as an accurate record.

Report of the Superintendent of the Commons.

The Committee received the report of the Superintendent of the Commons

which updated Members on activities in and around Burnham Beeches and the

Commons.

Resolved – that the update be received.

Report of the Superintendent of the Commons.

Members noted that at the September 2014 meeting of this Committee approved the introduction of Dog Control Orders at Burnham Beeches commencing 1

December 2014. As part of that approval Members requested that the

Superintendent produce a report in July 2016 to provide an update on the

implementation of the Dog Control Orders (DCOs).

Officers were generally encouraged by the outcome of this early data set and

the apparent change in dog related behaviours it indicates. Monitoring would continue over the coming months and the extended data base would be further analysed to produce the January 2017 report and to draw conclusions where that was possible.

The Committee conveyed their thanks to the Superintendent and his team for their hard work which helped to implement the DCOs successfully.

Resolved – that the report be received.

Report of the Superintendent of the Commons.

Following this committee’s approval of the Consultative Committee merger report

dated March 2016, Members noted the procedure to arrange additional

Consultative Committee/Group meetings or site visits should circumstances require.

This procedure would require amendments to each Consultative Committee’s Terms of Reference.

Resolved – that Members agreed the amendment to the Consultative Committee/Group Terms of Reference.

Report of the Chamberlain and Director of Open Spaces.

The Committee noted the revenue outturn for the services overseen by the

Committee in 2015/16 with the final agreed budget for the year. Members noted that the Director’s better than budget position of £23,000 (Local Risk) has been

aggregated with budget variations on services overseen by other committees,

which produces an overall better than budget position of £903,000 (Local Risk)

across all Open Spaces. It is proposed to carry forward £500,000 of this

underspend. These requests will be considered by the Chamberlain in

consultation with the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Resource Allocation

Sub Committee.

The City Surveyor’s better than budget position of £61,000 is mainly due to an

underspend in the Additional Works Programme. In the tables, figures in brackets indicate income or in hand balances, increases in income or decreases in expenditure.

Resolved – that the update be noted.

Report of the Superintendent of Epping Forest.

The Committee received an update from the Superintendent of Epping Forest

informing Members of activities which had taken place in and around the

Forest. Of particular note was the restoration of Open Riding on 7 May; falls in the number of reported fly tipping and rough sleeper incidents; the submission of the annual Basic Payment Scheme application; the close of the 2015/16 football season with 3,260 games played an increase of 12 and the Period for Representation meeting with the Environment Agency regarding the provisional high risk designation for three Large Raised Reservoirs at Wanstead Park.

In response to a query regarding the Psychoactive Substances Act, Members were informed that the Police had the right to act when finding an individual who appeared to be under the influence of drugs. Members noted that the locking of gated car parks may help tackle anti-social behaviour such as drug use in the forest. Currently 15 of the 52 car parks in the forest were locked at night, with plans to lock a further 3 over the next year.

Discussions ensued regarding two land registry issues which the Committee were informed about. The Superintendent informed Members that both issues may need to be heard at a tribunal. The Superintendent also informed the Committee that he was unable to provide a timescale for when this would be resolved.

Resolved – that the update be received.

Report of the Chamberlain and Director of Open Spaces.

Members noted the comparison of revenue outturn for the services overseen by the

Committee in 2015/16 with the final agreed budget for the year. In total, there

was a better than budget position of £256,000 for the services overseen by

your Committee compared with the final agreed budget for the year.

Resolved – that the update be noted.

Report of the City Surveyor.

he Committee received a provisional list of cyclical projects being considered for

properties under the management of Epping Forest and Commons Committee

under the umbrella of the “cyclical works programme”. Members noted that the draft cyclical project list for 2017/18 totals approximately £1.35m and if approved will continue the on-going programme in the maintenance of the property and infrastructure assets.

Resolved – that the report be received.

Report of the Superintendent of Epping Forest.

Further to the Committee’s agreement of March 2016 to create a Consultative

Committee, Officers presented the report which set out issues and options for consultation on arrangements.

It was considered that a group size of up to 16 is the most manageable and

effective arrangement for such a Consultative Commitee. Given that there are

over 74 organised groups who have expressed an interest in the Forest through

the Statement of Community Involvement, some mechanism for selection and

assurance of representation must be established.

The Chairman and Verderers will be proposed as core members of the

Committee and will be supported by nominated Epping Forest Officers. Therefore

a maximum of 16 places are to be offered to external groups and organisations. The Committee agreed that it would be beneficial for meeting dates to be scheduled and confirmed for a minimum of one year.

Members agreed that the following categories of representation are put forward,

withrespondees asked to prioritise in order of perceived importance. This can

then be mapped to the agreed attendance numbers to give the required balance.

a. Conservation - Conservation groups in Forest, or with wider remit.

b. Friends/Voluntary - Formal working groups eg litter pickers groups,

‘Friends of’ etc

c. Heritage – Historical societies, rural preservation etc

d. Informal or general users - Schools, Youth groups, families associations,

local forums and interest bodies.

e. Recreation - Specific recreational user groups – eg walkers, riders,

cyclists.

f. Sports - Formal organised sports on Forest eg Golf, Football, cricket

running etc.

g. Other – as suggested by respondees

Resolved – that Members agreed the proposed options to be included in the public consultation to inform the establishment of an Epping Forest Consultative Committee

Report of the Superintendent of Epping Forest.

The Committee noted that the Parklife Football Hubs programme is a new grassroots football funding scheme supported by The Football Association (FA), Premier League, Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), Sport England, the Mayor of London (MOL) and the Football Foundation. Building on a pilot scheme in Sheffield the scheme aims to create a number of football „hubs? across London before the programme is rolled out nationwide.

The Football hubs aim to be financially sustainable sites catering for football that will

encourage more people to play more regularly or become more active. In return for capital investment of up to 60% and advice on a tested business model the Parklife programme is seeking consortia partners to deliver the programme on the ground.

The Chairman clarified that at this stage this was only an agreement for an expression of interest to be submitted.

Resolved – that Members approved the expression of Interest submission, on behalf of the City of London and London Borough of Redbridge consortium, to the Football Foundation?s Parklife Football Hubs Programme - London

Report of the Superintendent of Epping Forest.

Epping Forest’s beech forest and heathlands are recognised for their importance

internationally; the beech forest with its ancient trees having a scientifically recognised “global status?. Recognition takes the form of protective designation as Epping Forest Special Area of Conservation (SAC) within the EU Natura 2000 network, under the legal framework of the Bern Convention 1979.

Resolved – that Members instructed Officers to incorporate the SIP targets into the Epping Forest Management Plan, prioritise and examine the resource implications of the proposed actions that might pertain to the Conservators and identify funding

mechanisms and potential partnerships for these actions.

There were no questions.

There was no urgent business.

MOTION: That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

Resolved - That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public

be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of

Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

To agree the minutes of the previous meeting.

Resolved – that the non-public minutes be agreed as an accurate record.

Report of the Director of the Built Environment.

The Committee considered a report of the Superintendent of Epping Forest.

Report of the Superintendent of Epping Forest.

The Committee considered a report of the Superintendent of Epping Forest.

Report of the Superintendent of Epping Forest.

The Committee considered a report of the Superintendent of Epping Forest.

Report of the Superintendent of Epping Forest.

The Committee considered a report of the Superintendent of Epping Forest.

Report of the Superintendent of Epping Forest.

The Committee considered a report of the Superintendent of Epping Forest.

There were no questions.

There were two items of urgent business relating to the work of Epping Forest.