Agenda and minutes

Venue: Committee Rooms - Second Floor West Wing, Guildhall

Contact: Richard Holt  Email: Richard.Holt@cityoflondon.gov.uk / 020 73323113

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies

Minutes:

Apologies were received from Barbara Newman.

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

2.

Declarations of interest under the Code of Conduct

Minutes:

There were no declarations received.

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

3.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 71 KB

To agree the public minutes and non-public summary of the previous meeting of the West Ham Park Committee on the 15th of July.

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

Minutes:

The Committee considered the public minutes and non-public summary of the West Ham Park Committee held on 15 July 2019.

 

RESOLVED – That the public minutes of the previous meeting of the West Ham Park Committee on 15 July 2019 be agreed as an accurate 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 provided Members an update on the impact of the Brexit process on the management of West Ham Park. The Director noted that due to the fluid nature of the situation there was no substantive updated to be provided.

 

RESOLVED- That the update be noted.

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

5.

Park Manager's Update pdf icon PDF 141 KB

Report of the Director of Open Spaces.

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

Minutes:

The Committee received a report of the Director of Open Spaces on the management and operational activities at West Ham Park since July 2019. The Director of Open Spaces clarified that the Newham’s biggest leaf pile event was now due to take place on the 17th of November 2019.

 

RESOLVED- That the report be noted.

 

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

6.

Bringing Communities Together event feedback and future proposal pdf icon PDF 2 MB

Report of the Director of Open Spaces.

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

Minutes:

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Open Spaces on the Bringing Communities Together event. The Report sought approval for the organisers to hold the event on an annual basis in West Ham Park for the coming three years at the same size, scale and duration.

 

Replying to a query from a Member of the Committee the Director of Open Spaces clarified that the fees charged for the event would be reviewed on an annual basis by the Committee. The Chairman noted that the approval for the event to be held on for the proceeding three years was for reasons of continuity.

 

In response to a point raised by a Member of the Committee the Director of Open Spaces explained that the organisers of the event had contacted a variety of different community organisations regarding possible involvement with the Bringing Communities Together event.

 

It was commented by a Member that Hampstead Heath held a number of similar events annually which were both successful community events and effective sources of revenue for the management of the open space. In addition, it was commented that Officers should look into the viability of holding more events of this type at West Ham Park.

 

A Member of the Committee commented that he would be working in his capacity as the London Borough of NewhamCabinet Member for Environment to increase engagement between the West Ham Park management team and the London Borough of Newham.

 

RESOLVED- That: -

  1. The HAFS Academy and Irvin Leisure delivering a ‘Bringing Communities Together’ event at the same size, scale and duration as in 2019 in West Ham Park annually in July for the next three years from 2020 to 2022 be approved; and
  2. That authority be delegated to the Superintendent to finalise details of each event,
 ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

7.

Three year review of the Open Spaces Department's 'Green Spaces, Learning Places' programme pdf icon PDF 8 MB

Report of the Director of Open Spaces.

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

Minutes:

The Committee received a report of the Director of Open Spaces regarding the Three-year review of the Open Spaces Department’s ‘Green Spaces, Learning Places’ programme.

 

The Committee commented on the quality of the programme and commented that more should be done to publicise the educational work undertaken by the Open Spaces Department at West Ham Park. A Member replied to this point by noting that they would liaise with the London Borough of Newham’s Cabinet Member for Education regarding engagement of local schools with the programme. 

 

RESOLVED- That the report be noted.

 

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

8.

Questions on matters relating to the work of the Committee

Minutes:

Further to Standing Orders of the Court of Common Council, whereby all questions of order are decided at the Chairman’s discretion, the Chairman did not approve that a question from a member of the public be heard on the grounds that no prior notice of this question was given. The Committee voted to not hear the question from a member of the public. Six Members voted against the motion and seven voted in favour including the Chairman who, in accordance with Standing Order 29 (1) (c), cast the deciding vote.

 

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

9.

Any other business that the Chairman considers urgent.

Minutes:

There was no urgent business which the Chairman considered urgent.

 

 

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

10.

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 10.

Minutes:

The Chairman provided a brief outline of the reasons why the report at Item 12 regarding the West Ham Park Nursery site had been included in the non-public section of the agenda. The Chairman explained that the report contained exempt material relating to the business and financial affairs of the City of London Corporation and the West Ham Park Charity which if made publicly available at this early stage would have seriously detrimental implications. He emphasised that the Nursery site was not part of the Park and there was no public access to it. The Committee also needed to be able to speak openly and candidly about the available options. In addition, the Chairman noted that the Committee membership included a substantial number of Members external to the Court of Common Council including representatives of the local community and reminded Members that they were acting on behalf of the City of London Corporation in its capacity as Trustee of the West Ham Park Charity.

 

The Chairman moved that the Committee consider the exclusion of the public. The Committee then proceeded to vote on the motion to exclude the public from the remainder of the Committee meeting as specified in Section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972. Six Members voted in favour and Five voting against the motion, with one abstention. Accordingly, the motion to exclude the public from the remainder of the Committee meeting was carried.

 

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.

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

11.

Non-Public Minutes

To agree the non-public minutes of the previous meeting of the West Ham Park Committee on 15 July 2019.

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

Minutes:

The Committee considered the non-public minutes of the meeting of the West Ham Park Committee held on 15 July 2019.

 

RESOLVED- That the non-public minutes of the meeting of the West Ham Park Committee held on 15 July 2019 be approved as an accurate record.

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

12.

West Ham Park Nursery

Joint report of the Director of Open Spaces and the City Surveyor.

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

Minutes:

The Committee considered a joint report of the City Surveyor and Director of Open Spaces on the West Ham Park Nursery.

 

RESOLVED-That the report be agreed.

 

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

13.

Questions on matters relating to the work of the committee

Minutes:

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

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

14.

Any other business that the Chairman considers urgent

Minutes:

There was no urgent business considered in the non-public session.

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