Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Graeme Smith and Martyn Foster (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds).

Chairman’s Welcome

The Chairman welcomed back Dennis Cotgrove to the first meeting of his new term as a Member of the Committee.

There were none.

To agree the public minutes and summary of the meeting held on 20 July 2015.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting held on 20 July 2015 be approved.

Matters Arising

City of London Corporation (Open Spaces) Bill

The Remembrancer advised Members that issues relating to Hampstead Heath, such as the length of leases, land management and commercial activities, had been discussed during meetings with local interest groups, including the Heath and Hampstead Society. He added that a working draft of the Bill would be circulated to all Members of this Committee and the Hampstead Heath Consultative Committee on 22 September.

Grant Giving

The Chairman advised that the Open Spaces Grants Working Party had met in September and was due to meet again in November 2015.

Swimming

The Superintendent of Hampstead Heath reported that income at the Lido during the summer had fallen due to poor weather conditions in August.

Location of an Outdoor Gym at Parliament Hill

The Superintendent advised that the London Borough of Camden’s (LBC) application for funding had been reduced by 50%, so they would be focussing on their own sites rather than the Heath. The Superintendent and his staff would continue to maintain a close relationship with the LBC to identify other opportunities in the future.

Report of the Director of Open Spaces.

The Committee received a report of the Director of Open Spaces that provided Members with the outcome of the first quarter of the 2015-18 Open Spaces Departmental Business Plan.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

Report of the Director of Open Spaces.

The Committee received a report of the Director of Open Spaces regarding the delivery of the Open Spaces Learning Programme. Members were advised of the Programme’s learning framework, which would be used to deliver learning outcomes across the Open Spaces.

RESOLVED – That the development of the learning framework and the progress made, be noted.

Report of the Superintendent of Hampstead Heath.

The Committee considered a report of the Superintendent of Hampstead Heath that sought approval to the North London Open Spaces risk register and set out the collective risk registers for the Hampstead Heath and Highgate Wood & Queen’s Park charities.

Members noted that the following amendments would be added to the Register:

·         The description of Risk no. 002 was to be reviewed;

·         The titles of Risk nos. 001, 006 and 009 to be amended appropriately;

·         The Target Risk and Score of Risk no. 006 was 4, not 2;

·         Appropriate response times to be included as part of Risk nos. 004 and 005.

RESOLVED – That, subject to the aforementioned amendments:-

a)    the North London Open Spaces Risk Register be approved.

Report of the Superintendent of Hampstead Heath.

The Committee received a report of the Superintendent of Hampstead Heath regarding management and operational activities across Hampstead Heath, Highgate Wood and Queen’s Park since July 2015. The Superintendent provided some additional comments concerning the following matters:

Property

Lido Wall

A pre-start meeting relating to the rebuilding of the boundary walls has been scheduled for 4 October 2015. The Sports Advisory Forum and the Lido User Group would be consulted before this date.

Hill Garden Shelter

A contractor had been appointed to undertake tanking works; the pre-start meeting was scheduled for 24 September 2015.

Golders Hill Park Zoo Toilets

An additional separation tank would be constructed during autumn/winter as part of the City Surveyor’s Department’s programme of works.

Planning

Water House

The Superintendent would continue to work with LBC to resolve access and tree issues relating to the planning application, which was due to be considered by LBC’s Development Control Committee in October or November. The Superintendent hoped to attend this Committee meeting.

In response to Members’ questions, the Comptroller and City Solicitor agreed to investigate access issues relating to Millfield Lane, N6 and would report back to the Members concerned.

Athlone House

The appeal was dismissed by LBC in June 2015 but the applicant was now taking the matter to Judicial Review, for which a date had not yet been set.

Ivy House

Alpha Plus Group had recently purchased the property for educational use but a planning application had not been developed yet.

Golders Hill Park

The Park was awarded Gold in the London in Bloom Awards.

In response to a Member’s question regarding The Good, The Bad, The Ugly, the Deputy Chairman and Superintendent advised that the artists had instructed for graffiti not to be cleaned as the rusting process should remove it over time.

Highgate Wood

Report of the Superintendent of Hampstead Heath.

The Committee considered a joint report of the Superintendent of Hampstead Heath and the Ponds Project Director that provided details of the latest position on all aspects of the Project and sought approval to a reduction of the overall Project budget.

The Ponds Project Director advised that the provisional sum for the works to the Kenwood Ladies’ Bathing Pond changing facility could possibly be reduced by a further £50,000 at a future stage but a budget of £1.5 million was now likely to be exceeded.

In response to a Member’s question regarding possible delays, the Project Director advised that the substantial works to the Model Boating Pond had started early to mitigate the risk of delays, so the total Project programme was currently not expected to overrun.

RESOLVED – That:-

a)    the reduction of the overall Ponds Project budget of £37,141, bringing the overall budget to £21,161,334, be approved;

b)    the revised budget of £1.69 million for the new changing facility at the Kenwood Ladies’ Bathing Pond, subject to further value engineering, be approved; and

Report of the Superintendent of Hampstead Heath.

The Committee considered a report of the Superintendent of Hampstead Heath that sought approval to an increased maximum number of guests at each venue and the introduction of a charge for the provision of facilities for a toast to be taken following the ceremony.

RESOLVED – That:-

a)    The contents of the report be noted;

b)    The increase in permitted maximum numbers to 120 guests at the Hill Garden Shelter, 25 guests at Belvedere, and 50 guests at the Rotunda, be approved; and

c)    The introduction of a £120 charge for the provision of facilities to drink a toast following the ceremonies, be approved.

Report of the Chamberlain.

The Committee received a report of the Chamberlain that presented the Hampstead Heath Trustee’s Annual Report and Financial Statements in the format required by the Charity Commission.

RESOLVED – That the Trustees Annual Report and Financial Statements be noted.

Report of the Chamberlain.

The Committee received a report of the Chamberlain that presented the Highgate Wood and Queen’s Park Kilburn Trustee’s Annual Report and Financial Statements in the format required by the Charity Commission.

RESOLVED – That the Trustees Annual Report and Financial Statements be noted.

There were none.

The Chairman reminded Members that the Committee dinner would be taking place on the evening of Monday 12 October 2015. Invitations had been issued via post.

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 on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

Item No.                                                         Paragraph No.

15                                                                                3

18                                                                                1, 4

To note the non-public appendices 2 and 3 relating to Item 8 of the Public Agenda.

The Committee considered the non-public appendices 2 and 3 relating to the Hampstead Heath Ponds Project update report considered at item 8 of the public agenda.

RESOLVED – That the reallocation of the specific risk provisions and the associated reduction in risk budget, be approved.

There were none.

There was none.

Report of the Director of Open Spaces.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Open Spaces regarding the Service Based Review.