Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Karina Dostalova, Clare James and Martyn Foster.

There were no declarations.

Orders, Court of Common Council, 25 April 2013:-

(i)            appointing the Committee;

(ii)          approving the Committee’s Terms of Reference (copy attached).

The tabled amended Orders of the Court of Common Council, 25 April 2013 appointing the Committee and approving the Committee’s Terms of Reference, were noted.

To elect a Chairman pursuant to Standing Order 29.

The Committee proceeded to elect a Chairman pursuant to Standing Order No. 29. The Town Clerk read out a list of Members eligible to be the Chairman. Jeremy Simons indicated his willingness to serve if elected. As Jeremy Simons was the only Member who had indicated his willingness to serve, he was duly declared to be elected Chairman and took the Chair for the ensuing year.

To elect a Deputy Chairman pursuant to Standing Order 30.

The Committee proceeded to elect a Deputy Chairman pursuant to Standing Order No. 30.  The Town Clerk read out a list of Members eligible to be Deputy Chairman.   As Virginia Rounding was the only Member who had indicated her willingness to serve, she was duly declared to be elected Deputy Chairman for the ensuing year.

To agree the public minutes and summary of the meeting held on 15 April 2013 (copy attached).

The public minutes and summary of the meeting held on 15 April 2013 were approved as a correct record.

Matters Arising

Photovoltaic at Highgate Wood Machine Shed (page 7) – 3^rd line should read machine shed in the Depot and not Deport.

Oak Processionary Moth (OPM) (page 8) – The Director of Open Spaces advised the Committee that a ministerial statement was expected imminently on the level of funding being made available from central government to tackle OPM this year.  She stated that it is expected that the funding will total between £1.5-2 million.  The Director concluded by advising that other than three oaks that were inaccessible, an inspection of oak trees under the City’s jurisdiction had not found any evidence for OPM.

Report of the Town Clerk (copy attached).

The Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk regarding the Committee’s annual appointments to the various Consultative Committees and a Joint Consultative Group was considered.

RESOLVED: - That,

a)        the appointment and composition of the following bodies be endorsed as follows for the ensuing year:-

i)          Hampstead Heath Consultative Committee

City Members:

Jeremy Simons (Chairman)

Virginia Rounding (Deputy Chairman)

ii)         Highgate Wood Joint Consultative Committee

City Members:

Jeremy Simons (Chairman)

Virginia Rounding (Deputy Chairman)

Dennis Cotgrove

Barbara Newman

Vacancy – to be considered at a future meeting.

iii)       Queen’s Park Joint Consultative Group

          City Members:

          Jeremy Simons (Chairman)

          Virginia Rounding (Deputy Chairman)

          Dennis Cotgrove

          Barbara Newman

Vacancy – to be considered at a future meeting.

b)      Tony Ghilchik be appointed as the local representative to the Open Spaces and City Gardens Committee for the ensuing year.

Report of the Superintendent of Hampstead Heath (copy attached).

The Committee considered a report of the Superintendent of Hampstead Heath setting out the results on the first major task undertaken by the Design Team in relation to the Hampstead Heath Ponds Project.

The Superintendent outlined the issues arising from the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 (FWA) and the effect these would have on the City of London Corporation.  He advised that it is likely that the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) will issue guidelines in response to the FWA that apply the highest category of risk to potential damn failures that endanger one human life.  This means that the Hampstead Ponds are now a Corporate ‘Red Risk’ for which the City of London Corporation, as the landowner, is responsible. 

Assessments have revealed that the Hampstead & Highgate Pond Chains do not have sufficient capacity to deal with extraordinary or sustained storm events.  The most recent hydrology study by Atkins of the Ponds has established that the risk of damn failure is 30-50% less than previously estimated by Haycock, but that damn failure in the event of extraordinary or sustained storm events remains a significant risk nonetheless.  This risk needs to be addressed to match industry best practice and to fulfil the Corporation’s legal obligations.

In response to a question from a Member, the Superintendent confirmed that the fundamental item of legislation affecting the Heath was the Hampstead Heath Act 1871, and that we must be mindful of its influence when responding to contemporary legislation.

The representative of the Heath & Hampstead Society stated that the Society had some concerns over how work on the dams would affect and impact upon the character of the Heath.

The representative of the Heath & Hampstead Society stated that the Society had reservations about the approach the City was taking to

There were no questions.

The Chairman advised the Committee of the following events that would be taking place on the Heath in June:

8 June – City Dip and that the Lord Mayor and the Sheriffs would be in attendance;

9 June – Tug of War

12-16 June – Affordable Art Fair

30 June – City of London Festival Irish Roots Day

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 as follows:-

Item No.                                                         Paragraphs in Schedule 12A

12-18                                                                                       3

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 as follows:-

Item No.                                                         Paragraphs in Schedule 12A

12-18                                                                                       3

To agree the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 15 April 2013 (copy attached).

The Committee approved the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 15 April 2013 as a correct record.

Report of the City Surveyor (copy attached).

The Committee considered a report of the City Surveyor relative to a lease renewal for Golders Hill Park Café.

Report of the City Surveyor (copy attached).

The Committee considered a report of the City Surveyor relative to a lease renewal for Highgate Wood Café.

Report of the City Surveyor (copy attached).

The Committee considered a report of the City Surveyor relative to a lease renewal for Parliament Hill Café.

Report of the City Surveyor (copy attached).

The Committee considered a report of the City Surveyor relative to a lease renewal for Queen’s Park Café.

There were no questions.

There were no urgent items.