Agenda item

The Superintendent of City Gardens & West Ham Park to be heard relative to West Ham Park matters.

The Committee received a verbal update from the Superintendent of City Gardens & West Ham Park relative to West Ham Park matters. The following points were made:

Finance – the Park and nursery budgets were in line with the budget profile for this time of year. Due to the Jubilee functions and two state banquets, the nursery floral income was considerably healthier than it was at October 2011.

Staff – A Keeper/Gardener and part-time support services officer had recently joined the team. The new starters were settling in well and the team was now at full complement.

Community – The Friends of West Ham Park group recently held a bat walk that attracted 50 attendees. These events were often oversubscribed, but presented a fun evening activity for adults and children. The Friends’ next scheduled event was to build a giant leaf pile, which would take place on the 4 November 2012.

City Bridge Trust Funding – The funding had been used to allow local scouts to assist with bulb planting in the new orchard area. It was also anticipated that local schools would be sowing new meadow areas.

Nursery – The first order from the seven-year Royal Parks contract had recently been delivered to Greenwich. Bedding was also scheduled to be dispatched to the City in the weeks following the meeting. The nursery would also provide the flowers for the Indonesian and Kuwait State visits due to take place in November 2012.

Awards - the park had achieved a Gold award and Park of the year from London in Bloom for the second consecutive year, scoring an impressive 196/200.

A Member nominated by the London Borough of Newham thanked the Committee and the West Ham Park Estate Office staff for the events held in the Park around the Olympics and queried whether there was any additional funding to continue occasional sports coaching. The Superintendent undertook to investigate this possibility.

In response to a question from the Deputy Chairman, the Superintendent advised that it may not be possible to arrange a visit to the Olympic Park in spring 2013 as it was scheduled to be closed for refurbishment. The Director believed it may be possible to receive a small number of visitors and undertook to investigate this possibility.

RECEIVED