Agenda and minutes

Venue: Committee Rooms - Second Floor West Wing, Guildhall

Contact: Alistair MacLellan  Email: alistair.maclellan@cityoflondon.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies

Minutes:

Apologies were received from Caroline Haines, Barbara Newman, Cllr Rachel Tripp and Deputy John Tomlinson.

 

In response to a request from the Chairman, the Town Clerk agreed to establish when the second representative of the London Borough of Newham, and the representative appointed by the incumbent or priest of the benefice of West Ham, would both likely be appointed to the Committee.

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

2.

Declarations of interest under the Code of Conduct

Minutes:

There were no declarations.

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

3.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 63 KB

To agree the public minutes and non-public summary of the meeting held on 16 July 2018.

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

Minutes:

RESOLVED, that the public minutes and non-public summary of the meeting held on 16 July 2018 be approved as a correct record.

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

4.

Brexit Update

The Director of Open Spaces to be heard.

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

Minutes:

The Director of Open Spaces was heard regarding implications of Brexit for the Directorate of Open Spaces and the following points were made.

 

·         The Director of Open Spaces noted that the Open Spaces Department was currently in receipt of £300,000 of EU grant funding for its natural land, primarily that used to graze cattle i.e. Epping Forest and Burnham Beeches. The impact of Brexit on this funding would be mitigated via the Agriculture Bill 2017-19 currently before Parliament, although it was likely that the City’s continuing eligibility for grant funding would be subject to negotiation.

 

·         The Director of Open Spaces added that Open Spaces staff who were EU nationals would have their right to work in the UK affected by Brexit and that he was working with the Human Resources Directorate to mitigate this.

 

RESOLVED, that the update be noted.

 

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

5.

Park Manager's Update pdf icon PDF 76 KB

Report of the Superintendent of Parks and Gardens.

 

N.B. this report is accompanied by a non-public appendix.

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

Minutes:

Members considered an update report of the Superintendent of Parks and Gardens on behalf of the West Ham Park Manager and the following points were made.

 

Playground Refurbishment Project

 

·         The West Ham Park Manager outlined options for the repair and/or refurbishment of the Playground within the Park. She noted that options included a simple repair of existing play items; a refurbishment of play items within the existing footprint of the playground; or an extension of the existing playground, which following public consultation over Summer 2018 had emerged as the preferred option.

 

·         In response to a question the West Ham Park Manager confirmed that the preferred water play option following consultation was one that included water tables and hand pumps.

 

·         In response to a question regarding project funding, the West Ham Park Manager noted that this issue would be dealt with by a Gateway 3/4 project report in February 2019.

 

·         In response to a question regarding the sustainability of a water play area, the West Ham Park Manager replied that there was scope to capture any used water, but this would involve the installation of an underground water tank which would be expensive.

 

·         In response to a question, the West Ham Park Manager replied that any potential synergies between the playground project and the Nursery would be examined in the forthcoming playground refurbishment project report.

 

Asset Review

 

·         The West Ham Park Manager noted that the toilet block would be refurbished to improve baby changing facilities and to ensure the block was in line with safeguarding guidance.

 

South Meadow Re-Landscaping

 

·         The West Ham Park Manager noted that the Park had been successful in securing a GLA grant towards the re-landscaping of South Meadow. The works would be part-delivered by Park volunteers, and the plans for the meadow were in line with Alexander

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

6.

West Ham Park Sports Fees and Charges review 2019-20 pdf icon PDF 264 KB

Report of the Director of Open Spaces.

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

Minutes:

Members considered a report of the Director of Open Spaces regarding the West Ham Park Sports Fees and Charges Review 2019-20, and the following points were made.

 

·         The West Ham Park Manager noted that Newham had recently refurbished its tennis courts at Stratford, which had impacted on the usage of Park tennis courts.

 

·         The West Ham Park Manager noted that the proposals before Members included charge for household use of facilities, and that charges for football had been kept competitive to encourage greater use of the Park facilities.

 

·         In response to a question, the West Ham Park Manager agreed to review whether Cricket nets could be made available by the hour.

 

·         In response to a comment, the West Ham Park Manager agreed to review how Park staff could ensure individuals using an annual membership were the same individual who had purchased that membership.

 

·         In response to a question, the West Ham Park Manager noted that the Park’s football pitches were rotated to ensure they were not damaged through overuse. The pitches tended to be used by non-league sides, with league sides using Wanstead.

 

RESOLVED, that subject to the comments made by Members, the proposed schedule of charges for sports facilities in West Ham Park for the 2019/20 financial year be approved.

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

7.

Revenue & Capital Budgets - 2018/19 & 2019/20 pdf icon PDF 171 KB

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

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

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Members considered a joint report of the Chamberlain and the Director of Open Spaces regarding Revenue and Capital Budgets 2018/19 & 2019/20 and the following points were made.

 

·         In response to a question, the Director of Open Spaces agreed to bring a report on Oak Processionary Moth (OPM) to the February 2019 meeting. In the meantime, he noted that the City had spent just under £100,000 on combating OPM, the growth of which had been exponential. The City was focusing on treating OPM in areas of particular risk to public health e.g. car parks, paths, and cafes.

 

·         In response to a question, the Director of Open Spaces clarified that the risk to public health from OPM was due to the potential for the caterpillar hairs to cause rashes/and or irritation to the airways. It was possible to defoliate an affected tree on three occasions without risking the tree, but veteran trees were more vulnerable to treatment.

 

RESOLVED, that Members,

 

·           Confirm that the provisional 2019/20 revenue budget reflects the Committee’s objectives and approve the budget for submission to the Finance Committee;

 

·           Authorise the Chamberlain, in consultation with the Director of Open Spaces, to revise these budgets to allow for any further implications arising from Corporate Projects, departmental reorganisations and other reviews, and changes to the Additional Works Programme.  Any changes over £50,000 would be reported to Committee.

 

  • delegate to the Chamberlain any minor budget changes for 2018/19 and 2019/20 as a result of the completion of the asset verification exercise.

 

·           approve the draft Capital and Supplementary Revenue budget.

 

 

 

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

8.

Departmental Business Plan 2018/19 - Six month performance update pdf icon PDF 261 KB

Report of the Director of Open Spaces.

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

Minutes:

Members considered a report of the Director of Open Spaces regarding the Departmental Business Plan 2018/19 – Six Month Performance Update and the following points were made.

 

·         In response to a comment, the Superintendent of Parks and Gardens noted that no decision had been made regarding the future of the Nursery site, in particular in relation to any potential for housing. Should any such decision be required, it would have to be made by the Committee.

 

RESOLVED, that the report be received, and the progress made against the 2018/19 Business Plan objectives, projects, and performance indicators be noted.

 

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

9.

West Ham Park Trustee's Annual report and Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2018 pdf icon PDF 56 KB

Report of the Chamberlain.

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

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Members considered a report of the Chamberlain regarding the West Ham Park Trustees’ Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2018.

 

RESOLVED, that the report be received.

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

10.

Questions on matters relating to the work of the Committee

Minutes:

There were no questions.

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

11.

Any other business that the Chairman considers urgent.

Minutes:

There was no other business.

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

12.

Exclusion of the Public

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.

 

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

Minutes:

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 they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of Schedule 12A of the Act.

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

13.

Non-Public Minutes

To agree the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 16 July 2018.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 13.

Minutes:

RESOLVED, that the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 16 July 2018 be approved as a correct record.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.

14.

Non-Public Appendix - Park Manager's Update

Non-public appendix to accompany the public report of the Superintendent of Parks and Gardens.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 14.

Minutes:

Members considered the non-public appendix to the Park Manager’s Update.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.

15.

Questions on matters relating to the work of the committee

Minutes:

There were no non-public questions.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 15.

16.

Any other business that the Chairman considers urgent

Minutes:

There was one item of urgent business.  

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 16.