Agenda item

The Superintendent of Epping Forest to be heard.

 

The Committee received an update from the Superintendent of Epping Forest and noted the following points:

 

Staff Changes

The Head of Visitor Services had left the Division.

 

Wet Weather

In complete contrast to the fires of last July and August, Epping Forest had experienced double its normal rainfall in December and January.  This had led to widespread flooding across the Forest.  The newly restored Jubilee Pond on Wanstead Flats had flooded, as the overflow had been unable to drain into flooded ditches alongside Centre Road.  Alexandra Lake also burst its banks and flooded onto Aldersbrook Road.  In addition, Connaught Water also flooded in January, though the dam did not overtop as it did in 2011.

 

Football Season

The unprecedented wet weather saw an unusually high level of cancellations for football at Wanstead Flats across six weekends on the first and third weekend of January and throughout February.  A two week extension at the end of the season was planned to allow fixtures to be completed.

 

Crime Reports

There had been a disturbing rise in serious crime reports in the Forest.  A Forest Keeper was threatened with a knife on 15^th January by a Rough Sleeper and two Forest Keepers were assaulted while an arrest was being made for a byelaw offence.  Two members of the public were mugged at the Caddy House car park and Forest staff had been involved in the recovery of a vehicle from Wanstead Flats following an alleged rape.  The western flank of Wanstead Flats was currently cordoned off while Police seek evidence in connection with a double murder in nearby Montague Road.

 

Rough Sleepers

Despite the wet weather rough sleepers were still being found.  In addition to the incident on 15^th January four migrants had been found in a camp on Wanstead Flats on 7^th January.  With the support of Redbridge Council three rough sleepers were found hostel accommodation and a further sleeper returned home under the Redbridge Street Outreach Team (SORT) initiative.  

 

Fly tipping

Following the overall 24.8% fall in incidents across 2013, the first two months of 2014 had seen 105 fly tips up 21% on 87 for the same period last year.

 

Prosecutions

15 cases of fungi picking were placed before Chelmsford Magistrates with fines totalling £2,575 for 12 individuals.  Two individuals were elected for trial on 18^th March.

 

Royal Parks - Richmond Park Visit

Forest Keepers from the South team, together with a representative from the Wren Conservation Group met with the Assistant Park Superintendent to discuss skylark conservation. The visit also considered the deer processing unit; licensing and dog control issues.

 

Bushwood Volunteers

Clearance works by the newly formed Friends of Bush Wood and the high rainfall had seen ponds holding water for the first time in many years.

 

Tour de France – 7^th July

The Head Keeper had been attending key meetings with race organisers and local authorities regarding the management of the events when it passes through Epping Forest.  The Epping New Road would be closed on race day between 09.00 hours and 17.00 hours.

 

Gifford Wood Update

The planting of 5,280 trees had been completed and spiral guards had been added to manage rabbit damage within the enclosure.

 

The Grotto, Wanstead Park

The first phase of works to clear The Grotto of encroaching trees and shrubs had been completed.  The removal of vegetation would reduce seed sources and consequent damage to the Listed Building.

 

Wood Pasture Research

Staff at both Epping Forest and Burnham Beeches, had been interviewed as part of a pan-European Wood Pasture condition assessment led by Universities across Germany, Hungary and Romania.

 

Highams Park Lake.

Balfour Beatty was selected in January as the contractor for pre-constructions services.  A planning application was submitted for dam strengthening works on 8^th February. 100 people attended an information afternoon and evening held on 24^th February.

 

Epping Forest Hydrology/Engineering Assets

MK Surveys had completed survey work for the City Surveyor on engineering assets on water bodies and watercourses.  Every main path, watercourse and 57 ponds had been inspected for structures.

 

Wanstead Park Hydrology

JJB have provided their interim results on the Park’s Hydrology ahead of the main report in April/May 2014.  Leakage at Heronry Pond and Ornamental Water had been identified as the main weaknesses in the 5 lake cascade.

 

Social Media

Twitter followers of Epping Forest have reached 1,795 and were being added at 9%/calendar month compared with 3% before the Forest’s Twitter campaign.

 

Visitor Attraction Quality Assurance Scheme (VAQAS)

All three Visitor Centres had again secured from Visit England the coveted VAQAS blue marque for a further year.  The judges assessment would be shared once received.

 

New Fallow Deer Buck, Queen Elizabeth’s Hunting Lodge

Following taxidermy, a recently culled distinctive melanistic Epping Forest fallow deer buck has been put on show at the Hunting Lodge replacing the existing exhibit.

 

Chingford Golf Course

Comic Relief Day was being used as a promotional opportunity to publicise the relaxation of the red clothing rule for golf course players at Chingford Golf Course.

 

Waymarked Trails

The 10 km Oak Trail, the ninth waymarked Epping Forest trail, had been completed on the Forest around Theydon Bois.

 

Great Gregories Cattle Outwintering Facility

The extreme weather had delayed the start of the construction of the Outwintering facility.  A temporary straw facility had been created adjoining Great Gregories. 

 

New Planning Policy Guidance

The Planning Minister Nic Boyles had launched the revised and much reduced online guidance on 6^th March 2014.

 

Visitor Survey

In addition to 1083 questionnaire surveys, 1,395 visitors were mapped by volunteers over 60 hours covering a distance of 120 miles.

 

Legible London

Staff were working with Transport for London’s ‘Legible London’ initiative to annotate digital mapping to include references to Epping Forest.

 

Gateways

Staff continued to work with CodSteaks and Evolve on a suitable Gateway design.

 

Volunteer Hours

Volunteers provided 1,470 hours of time between December and January.  The total for 2013 was 10,165 hours which is the equivalent of £66,000 or over 6 full-time staff.  2014 will also be the first year in which our 4 volunteer task leaders have led tasks.  Of the 22 tasks planned for 2014, 14 will be led by Volunteer Task Leaders.

 

In response to a query raised by Members, Officers informed the Committee that staff including Forest Keepers all had undertaken resolving conflict and managing personal safety training. This knowledge was cascaded through the department, and staff undertook regular risk assessments to ensure they had all of the information and equipment necessary. Officers were concerned that if all staff wore protective equipment whilst working they would appear too confrontational and this may exacerbate a situation. Members agreed and asked Officers to regularly review the risks posed to their staff.