Agenda and minutes

Venue: Hope Centre at St Mary's Church, 201 High Rd, Loughton, IG10 1BB

Contact: Richard Holt  Email: Richard.Holt@cityoflondon.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies

Minutes:

Apologies were received from Graeme Smith, Jo Blackman, Jill Carter, Mathew Frith, Paul Morris, Enid Walsh, Robert Levene (Tricia Moxey represented the Bedford House Community Association) and Sylvia Moys.

 

The Chairman introduced Verderer Nicholas Munday to his first meeting of the Epping Forest Consultative Committee.

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 1.

2.

MEMBERS' DECLARATIONS UNDER THE CODE OF CONDUCT IN RESPECT OF ITEMS ON THE AGENDA

Minutes:

There were no declarations.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.

3.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 137 KB

To agree the minutes of the previous meeting held on the 10th October 2018.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 3.

Minutes:

The Committee considered the minutes of the previous meeting of the Epping Forest Consultative Committee held on 10 October 2018. The Superintendent of Epping Forest explained that the procurement of the Deer Strategy Review had been delayed to the beginning of the new academic year to ensure various institutions could bid for the work. A Member of the Committee raised an amendment to the minutes adding that Wren Wildlife Conservation Group statement should highlight the effect to ground-nesting Skylarks (a Red Data list species) and Meadow Pipits.

 

RESOLVED- That the public minutes of the meeting held on 10 October 2018 be approved as a correct record.

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

4.

MINUTES OF THE EPPING FOREST & COMMONS COMMITTEE

Minutes:

The Committee received the minutes of the Epping Forest and Commons Committee meetings held on 19th of November 2018 and 14th of January 2019. The Chairman highlighted that these minutes were on the agenda for information and to provide Consultative Committee Members with a helpful summary of matters discussed at the Epping Forrest and Commons Committee.

 

RESOLVED- That the minutes of the Epping Forest and Commons Committee meetings held on 19th of November 2018 and 14th of January 2019 be noted.

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

4a

Minutes of the Epping Forest and Commons Committee meeting held on 19th of November 2018. pdf icon PDF 138 KB

a) To receive the minutes of the Epping Forest and Commons Committee meeting held on 19th of November 2018.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 4a

Minutes:

4b

Draft minutes of the Epping Forest and Commons Committee meeting held on 14th of January 2019 pdf icon PDF 119 KB

b) To receive the draft minutes of the Epping Forest and Commons Committee meeting held on 14th of January 2019.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 4b

Minutes:

5.

Superintendent's Update pdf icon PDF 561 KB

Report of the Director of Open Spaces.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 5.

Minutes:

The Committee received a report of the Superintendent of Epping Forest which provided Members with a summary of the Epping Forest Division’s activities across October to November 2018. The Superintendent of Epping Forest made the following points.

 

Budgets

The Superintendent informed the Committee that Epping Forest was at 60% spend against a profile spend of 66%, which indicated a small underspend.

 

Fly Tipping

Members were updated by the Superintendent on the issue of fly tipping within Epping Forest including the number of reported incidents, specific sites of vulnerability and steps taken to increase site security. A Member of the Committee asked for further details on the measures taken to limit fly tipping within Wanstead Flats.  The Superintendent informed the Committee that two full-time Enforcement Officers had been recruited at Epping Forest to pursue prosecutions under the Environmental Protection Act; the gating and regular opening and closing of gates at car parks was being undertaken and co-operation was being improved with neighbouring Local Authorities and Police Services to help limit fly tipping in the area. Following a point raised by the Chairman, the Superintendent confirmed that the downturn in the construction industry had complicated the picture, but there was anecdotal evidence to suggest that our recent anti-fly tipping measures had displaced some tipping from within the Forest to areas further away.

 

Rough Sleepers

The Superintendent informed Members of the number of rough sleepers’ sites found within Epping Forest and noted that a decline in rough sleeping was expected over the winter months due to the adverse weather and the opening of seasonal night shelters. In response to questions on rough sleepers the Head Forest Keeper advised that rough sleepers should be reported on the Epping Forest 24-hour line 020 8532 1010 and confirmed that while it was difficult to generalise around

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

6.

Business Plan Development at Epping Forest pdf icon PDF 79 KB

Report of the Director of Open Spaces.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 6.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee received a report of the Director of Open Spaces on the Business Plan Development at Epping Forest. The Head of Operations for Epping Forest introduced the report, highlighting the general process and key work practices outlined in the report.

 

A member questioned what the process for consultation had been with regard to the Theydon Bois Green paper. The Head of Operations explained that the report had been considered via the formal Committees process after a targeted consultation with a number of key stakeholders ahead of public consultation on the proposals.

 

The Chairman commented on the issues caused by the telephone cables at sites such as Theydon Bois and asked Officers to provide the Committee with more information on this issue. The Head of Operations explained that a range of buried utility infrastructure was relatively common within the Forest.  A number of utilities had been installed without agreement and their presence could cause delays in project delivery. The Head Forest Keeper informed the Committee that the City of London Corporation (Open Spaces) Act 2018 provided the City with further powers to mitigate these issues but urged the Committee to contact Epping Forest with any information that they may have on the illegal insertion of telephone or broadband cables within the Forest.

 

A Member of the Committee representing the Theydon Bois Parish Council read a short statement as follows from the Parish Council on the City of London Plans for the Management of Theydon Bois Green:

 

‘The Parish Council welcomed the opportunity to have a much closer working relationship with the City of London over the maintenance on the village green.

 Theydon Bois Green, including the Avenue of Trees and the Village Pond are the principle assets of the Village. Regrettably, due to a lack of investment and inactivity on

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

7.

Tree Pests and Diseases: Oak Processionary Moth urgent update pdf icon PDF 108 KB

Report of the Director Open Spaces.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 7.

Minutes:

The Committee received a report of the Director of Open Spaces which provided Members with an urgent update on the challenges being faced due to the spread of Oak Processionary Moth (OPM) across the Open Spaces in the care of The City of London. The Director of Open Spaces noted that the OPM treatment had cost £100,000 in 2018 and was estimated to cost in the region of £200,000 this year and is likely to increase exponentially thereafter. In addition, he explained that the OPM was already present at various sites in Epping Forest highlighting that education would be a key factor in mitigating the impact of OPM. The Head of Conservation for Epping Forest detailed that currently the Forest had 100 effected trees and 200 OPM nests but that this was excepted to be in the 1000’s soon.

 

Replying to a query regarding photograph examples of the OPM, the Director of Open Spaces clarified that the Forestry Commission website was a useful recourse for material on OPM.

 https://www.forestry.gov.uk/oakprocessionarymoth

 

In addition, it was confirmed that in April new signage would be produced to inform visitors to the Forest of the potential dangers of OPM when it was expected that new nests would form.

 

A Member asked if there were specific sites where the OPM was particularly prevalent. The Head of Conservation replied that OPM was predominantly located at sites with open grown oak but added that the sites where the OPM nests were likely to encountered by visitors had already been identified.

 

RESOLVED- That the report be noted.

 

 

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

8.

Eagle Pond Conservation Statement pdf icon PDF 80 KB

Joint report of the City Surveyor and Director of Open Spaces.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 8.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee received a joint report of the City Surveyor and Director of Open Spaces on the Eagle Pond Conservation Statement. The Head of Operations commented that the Statement aimed to balance both development and heritage concerns. 

 

A Member suggested that not all edges of the pond should be left open, in order to create more secluded areas. A Member added that car park closer to the pond would improve accessibility but accepted that may not be a practical. The Head Forest Keeper explained that the relevant local authorities were considering change to the traffic management plan in the area which could open up opportunities for improving access to the pond.

 

RESOLVED- That the report be noted.

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

9.

Major Event Wanstead Flats Update pdf icon PDF 65 KB

Report of the Director of Open Spaces

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 9.

Minutes:

The Committee received a report of the Director of Open Spaces which provided Members with an update on the Major Event at Wanstead Flats. The Head of Visitor Services explained that the report had been produced in response to the previous discussion on the Major Event at Wanstead Flats and noted that meetings with local community members would be taking place in the proceeding weeks. It was added that Newham, Redbridge and Waltham Forest were already aware of the proposed event and that communications with these local authorities have started.

 

The Chairman questioned when the event promotor would be required to apply to the relevant local authorities for mandatory licenses to hold the event. The Head of Visitor Services replied that while this was only legally required to consult four weeks after the submission date, it was accepted that, as an experienced event provider, MAMA Festivals Ltd would apply well in advance of this deadline. A Member asked for the clarification on the approval process for the event.

 

The Head of Visitor Services confirmed that the event would be considered through a two-stage process. During the first phase a detailed proposal for the event will be further considered by the Epping Forest and Commons Committee which will include evidence of the proposed extensive public consultation process. If the proposal for the event is agreed ‘in principle’ by the Epping Forest and Commons Committee. The second phase would involve application from the event organisers to each of the required responsible authorities, which would be administered by the relevant local authority, who is in turn advised by a Safety Advisory Board. The Head of Visitor Services added that, as part of the second phase of the approval process, the City Corporation can refuse to agree to allow the event even after the

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

10.

Epping Forest District Council Local Plan – Responses to the Inspector’s Matters, Issues & Questions pdf icon PDF 88 KB

Report of the Director of Open Spaces.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 10.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee received a report of the Director of Open Spaces regarding the Examination-in-Public (EiP) on the Epping Forest District Council’s Local Plan. The Head of Conservation introduced the report clarifying that the relevant documentation was publicly available online and highlighted the City of London’s involvement, as the conservators of the Forest, in the public consultation process. In addition, it was explained that the City of London’s concerns on the Local Plan were centred on the legal compliance regarding the Habitat Regulations Assessment (HRA) and Infrastructure Development Plan.

 

A Member informed the Committee that a public consultation had been began with the regard to High Beach. The Head of Conservation replied that the City of London were aware of this process and would be engaging with the Epping Forest District Council accordingly. In addition, it was noted that a Memorandum of Understanding had been signed with the relevant local authorities regarding the mitigation strategy and that an interim strategy had been developed. The Chairman highlighted the key role of the Verderers of Epping Forest in the process.

 

RESOLVED- that the report be noted.

 

 

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

11.

Questions

Minutes:

The follow questions were raised.

 

Bird Nest damage

A Member questioned how the City of London Corporation avoided damage to bird nests when completing maintenance works with the Forest. The Head of Operations explained that works were completed within clear site guidance outside of the statutory bird nesting season.

 

Car Park management

Replying to a question regarding the management of car parks the Head Forest Keeper informed the Committee that Forest Keeper shift patterns were changing to allow the car parks within the Forest to be open for longer periods. Later in the year car parks will be open from 07:00am to 20:00 hours.

 

Minutes

A Member noted that a question had been asked on the use of the term ‘RESOLVED’ within the minutes and asked if there was any further information regarding this point. The Superintendent explained that he recognised that the commonly accepted meaning of Resolved represented a ‘determination to do something’.  This was the standard term used by the City Corporation Town Clerk’s Department within committee minutes. The Superintendent clarified that this did not mean that the Epping Forest Consultative Committee had agreed with item in question and would work with Town Clerks to identify a more suitable word.

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

12.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS THAT THE CHAIRMAN CONSIDERS URGENT

Minutes:

The following items of business were considered by the Committee.

 

Terms of Reference

The Director of Open Spaces noted that Ruth Holmes had not attended the last two meetings of the Epping Forest Consultative Committee and confirmed that she would be contacted to enquire if she wished to remain as a Member of the Committee.

 

 

Epping Forest Reeve appointment

The Chairman informed the Committee that the Epping Forest Parish Council had expressed their desire to appoint a previous Verderer Richard Morris to the position of Reeve and invited Members comment on the proposed appointment. The Committee confirmed there approval of the proposed appointment.

 

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.