Agenda and minutes

Apologies had been received from Deputy Howard, Cllr Bryan Collier, Catherine Bickmore and Revd. Stennett Kirby

There were no declarations of interest.

To agree the minutes of the previous meeting.

Resolved: That the minutes of the previous meeting were agreed as an accurate record.

To receive an update from the Superintendent.

The Committee received the following update from the Superintendent of West Ham Park:

Budget – spending was in line with budget profile for the 1^st Quarter.

Staff - A temporary member of staff had started work in the Nursery replacing a fulltime contract. A temporary Keeper- Gardener had also been employed to assist with the patrol of the ornamental gardens on busy weekends and to undertake some basic gardening duties.  This was accounted for within the budgets.

Works update –The summer bedding was now all in place with a changed bedding scheme for the walled garden which was now 30% herbaceous perennials this would be infilled with spring bulbs (Crocus and Daffodils). The winter stem garden project had increased in size to the adjacent side of the bridge and this will be planted with ferns.  The paddling pool paving had been renovated and the building painted and with the recent warm weather had been open every day from noon.

Community & Events

The Gardening club was continuing with weekly sessions throughout the summer in the Jubilee Food Garden.

The educational sessions held in the Park continued.  As part of Newham Education Partnerships ‘Work Week’ scheme, children from Gallions Reach primary attended a session on 16 June looking at the role of gardeners and keepers and highlighting areas such as biodiversity and habitats.  As part of this same scheme, the Outreach, Sustainability and Biodiversity officer visited Gallions Reach Nursery School to carry out sessions on being a Gardener. 

Friends of West Ham Park held a ‘Poppies for Peace’ took place on  28th June – a day in commemoration of the centenary of the start of WW1.  This involved a guided tour of the meadows from one of the Friends members, a craft stall making your own poppy, a display on

To receive the report of the Chamberlain and Director of Open Spaces.

The Committee noted the comparison between the revenue outturn for the services overseen by the Committee in 2013/14 and the final agreed budget for the year. In total, there was a worse than budget position of £46,000 for the services overseen by the Committee compared with the final agreed budget for the year.

Members noted that the Director’s better than budget position of £16,000 (Local Risk) had been aggregated with budget variations on services overseen by other committees, which produced an overall better than budget position of £232,000 (Local Risk) across all Open Spaces. It was proposed to carry forward £217,000 of

this underspend. These requests would be considered by the Chamberlain in

consultation with the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Resource

Allocation Sub Committee.

Officers informed Members that the Nursery was a trading account which although formed part of the Director of Open Spaces Local Risk any surplus or deficits are transferred to and from reserve respectively. The City Surveyor’s £71,000 overspend was mainly due to the re-phasing of the Additional Works programme.

To receive the report of the Director of Open Spaces.

The Committee noted the projects that the Friends of West Ham Park had successfully achieved throughout their seventh year. Over the past year, four public meetings had been held by the Friends at the local Scout hall and on occasion on the bandstand in the Park. At their annual meeting in June 2013, the Friends re-elected their eighth Chairman, Ms Nicky Brown, and Deputy Chairman, Mr Ron Innell. At this annual meeting, the Friends suggest projects that they would like to be involved in and agree a timetable of events for the forthcoming year.

The events hosted included stargazing walks, bat walks and making poppies at the Poppies for Peace event in Commemoration of the centenary of the start of WW1. Members were informed that that Open Spaces and City Gardens Committee had agreed a resolution thanking all volunteers for their hard work throughout the year.

There were no questions.

There was no urgent business.

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.

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 minutes of the previous meeting were agreed as an accurate record.

There were no questions.

There was no urgent business.