Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Alderman Ian Luder and Catherine Bickmore.

There were no declarations.

To receive the Order of the Court of Common Council dated 25 April 2019 appointing the Committee and setting its Terms of Reference.

RESOLVED – That the order of the Court of Common Council be received.

The Committee are invited to elect a Chairman in accordance with Standing Order 29.

The Committee proceeded to elect a Chairman in accordance with Standing Order No. 29. The Town Clerk read a list of Members eligible to stand and Oliver Sells being the only Member expressing their willingness to serve was duly elected Chairman for the ensuing year and took the Chair.

RESOLVED – That Oliver Sells be elected Chairman of the Committee for the ensuing year.

The Committee expressed their thanks to the outgoing Chairman Graeme Doshi-Smith.

VOTE OF THANKS

Proposed by Barbara Newman.

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY:

That the Members of the Open Spaces and City Gardens Committee wish to place on record their sincere appreciation to

GRAEME MARTYN DOSHI-SMITH

Their very great and sincere thanks and appreciation for the distinguished manner in which he has served as Chairman since 6^th June 2016. Much has been achieved during Graeme’s Chairmanship in what has been a challenging financial and political period. He has combined an open minded, forward looking, balanced and calm approach with good humour and enthusiasm.

As the Strategic Committee for all the City’s Open Spaces, Graeme oversaw the passage of the City of London Corporation (Open Spaces) Act 2018 from its October 2016 Third Reading in the House of Commons, to the gaining of Royal Assent on 15 March 2018.

Graeme has provided strategic leadership on matters affecting the whole Department. Graeme recommended final amendments to the overarching Departmental Events Policy which, together with the site-specific plans, has established clear guidelines to event organisers and ensures that events are properly managed from both a conservation and community impact perspective.

Recognising the value that the Learning Programme brings to young people and adults who struggle to experience and connect with nature, he fully backed the request for core funding to embed the Learning Programme within the Department. Similarly, thanks to Graeme’s

The Committee are invited to elect a Deputy Chairman in accordance with Standing Order 30.

The Committee proceeded to elect a Deputy Chairman in accordance with Standing Order No. 30. The Town Clerk informed the Committee, that in accordance with Standing Order No. 30(3)(a), Graeme Doshi-Smith as the immediate Past Chairman and having indicated his willingness to serve was accordingly declared to be the Deputy Chairman for the ensuing year.

RESOLVED – That Graeme Doshi-Smith be elected as Deputy Chairman for the ensuing year.

To agree the public minutes of the previous meeting of the Open Spaces and City Gardens Committee held on 8 April 2019.

Members Considered the public minutes and non-public summary of the meeting of the Open Spaces & City Gardens Committee.

Members raised concerns on the role of the City of London corporation’s open spaces within the Sports Strategy and requested that the note following the Members breakfast briefing be circulated to the Committee.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the previous meeting be agreed as an

accurate record.

Director of Open Spaces to be heard.

The Director of Open Spaces provided Members with a summary of the impact of the Brexit process on the City of London Corporation’s Open Spaces Department. The Director of Open Spaces informed the Committee that Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs funding had been secured post Brexit and that the City of London Corporation had been preparing for the various effect’s different outcomes from the Brexit negotiations.

RESOLVED- That the update be noted

The Committee are invited to appoint one Member as an Open Spaces and City

Gardens Committee representative on the Streets and Walkways Sub Committee. The next Streets and Walkways Sub Committee meeting is scheduled to take place on 22 July 2019.

The Committee were invited to elect a representative to the Streets and

Walkways Sub Committee for the ensuing year. The Town Clerk informed the Committee that Barbara Newman expressed an interest in serving and invited any other expressions of interest in the position.

RESOLVED – That Barbara Newman being the only Member willing to serve was appointed for the ensuing year.

Report of the Director of Open Spaces.

The Committee received a report of the Director of Open Spaces which provided an update on the City Gardens’ activities since April 2019.

Replying to a query from the Chairman the Director of Open Spaces confirmed that ‘Top Ten Trees in the City of London’ had been chosen by the Friends of the City Gardens.

It was explained by the Director of Open Spaces that Goldman Sachs were aware of the risks relating to planting outside of the recommended window at the development at Stonecutter street and that the decision to begin the planting at this time had been taken by the company at its own risk.

Members suggested that Committee visits to the City Gardens be arranged to allow Members to experience the gardens first-hand.

RESOLVED- That the report be noted.

Report of the Director of Open Spaces.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Open Spaces on the Finsbury Circus Reinstatement.

The Chairman noted that he felt the reinstatement of Finsbury Circus was a priority for the Committee and explained that he and the Deputy Chairman had agreed an Interim Compensation Payment under urgency procedures in the week preceding the meeting. The Director of Open Spaces explained to the Committee that they expected to take occupation of Finsbury Circus in October 2019.

Responding to a question from a Member the Director of Open Spaces explained that the Human health layer, listed within the report, was a requirement of contamination regulations and that they were satisfied the depth was adequate to protect staff working on the site.

RESOLVED- That: -

       I.        Authority be delegated to the Superintendent of Parks and Gardens for approval of the reinstatement proposals attached at Appendix 1, as the temporary landscape condition to be installed by Crossrail prior to its vacation of Finsbury Circus Garden, in accordance with the Crossrail Act 2008, Schedule 5; and

     II.         That it was noted that by agreeing this temporary landscape, the City’s right to reasonable compensation in respect of the costs of reinstatement of the final landscape, will not be compromised.

Report of the City Surveyor.

The Committee received a report of the City Surveyor on the Cyclical Works Programme 2020/21. The report set out a provisional list of cyclical projects being considered for properties under the management of Open Spaces and City Gardens Committee.

RESOLVED- That the report be noted.

Report of the Director of Open Spaces.

The Committee received a report of Director of Open Spaces on the Open Spaces Departmental Business Plan 2018/19 Year End performance. The report provided Members with a review of the Open Spaces Department’s delivery of its 2018/19 Business Plan.

A Member commented that it was key that the Sports Strategy be received by all the relevant committees before it was finalised.

RESOLVED- That the report be noted.

Joint report of the Chamberlain and the Director of Open Spaces.

The Committee received a report of the Chamberlain on the Revenue Outturn 2018/19 – Open Spaces & City Gardens.

RESOLVED- That the report be noted.

Report of the Director of Open Spaces.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Open Spaces on the Health & Safety in the Open Spaces Department.

RESOLVED- The report be noted.

Report of the Director of Open Spaces.

To be read in conjunction with a non-public appendix at item 23.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Open Spaces on the Proposed development and submission of a partnership funding bid to Heathrow Airport Limited. The report outlined a partnership proposal to develop a funding submission to the Secretary of State of Transport to create and restore Habitats of Principle Importance (HPI) in and around the Burnham Beeches SAC. The Chairman commented that he felt the project was useful and important to the work of the department.

RESOLVED- That the report be noted.

Report of the Chief Grants Officer (CGO) and Director of City Bridge Trust.

The Committee received a report of the Chief Grants Officer (CGO) and Director of City Bridge Trust on the Central Grants Programme (CGP) Annual Report. The report included the outcomes of the four CGP grant programmes delivered in 2018/19; an update on the monitoring and evaluation of the CGP and an outline of the next deadlines for 2019/20.

The Chairman noted that going forward attracting new applicants to the CGP was key to its success.  

RESOLVED- that the report be noted.

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Committee received a report of the Town Clerk on the Gender Identity Policy. The report presented a City Corporation policy on gender identity, and the findings from independent analysis of an online survey conducted in 2018.

RESOLVED- That he report be noted.

A Member of the Committee raised the issue of Open Spaces online services listed on the City of London Corporation Website. Members discussed the need to improve the City of London Open Spaces online features both in terms of accessibility and quality of information. It was also suggested that the Committee’s local risk could be used to finance this development. The Director of Open Spaces explained that the Open Spaces department had made the requirements of the website clear and that these had been considered by Digital Services Sub-Committee. In addition, the Committee were informed that the Director of Open Spaces would be meeting with the Deputy Chairman of the Digital Services Sub-Committee to discuss these issues.

A Member commented that the Committee had not yet received an acceptable reply from the Chamberlain to the letter sent by the Committee.

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 following items of business on the grounds they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

To agree the non-public minutes of the previous meeting of the Open Spaces and City Gardens Committee held on 8 April 2019.

RESOLVED- That the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 8 April 2019 be approved as a correct record.

Report of the Director of Open Spaces.

The Committee received a report of the Director of Open Spaces on the Crossrail Reinstatement Finsbury Circus briefing note.

RESOLVED- That the report be noted.

Non-public appendix to be read in conjunction with item 15.

The Committee received a non-public appendix to be viewed in conjunction with item 18.

RESOLVED- That the appendix to be noted.

There were no questions considered in the non-public session.

There were no urgent items of non-public business considered.