Agenda item

Members received a presentation from a representative of New Philanthropy Capital (NPC) on the draft outcomes diagram which had been developed through a workshop on 11 January 2018. Drawing on the Community Vision for Hampstead Heath the workshop identified pathways to achieve four key outcomes (or benefits) arising from how the Heath is managed to benefit communities.

A culture of collective care/custodianship of Hampstead Heath would be a key element of the work with the aim of creating a culture of inclusion and encouraging people to feel like they were ambassadors of the Heath who were involved in the decision making affecting its management. It was hoped that the feeling of personal responsibility would be complemented with a programme of engagement.  

A Member queried what was new and different about the data in this project from the extensive data collected by previous working groups involved in the Hampstead Heath Ponds Project and the work around developing the Strategic Plan in 2007. The Projects and Management Support Officer advised that the aim of this project was to build on past studies and surveys and to review the various issues affecting the Heath, using previous data as a valuable baseline for measuring progress. On concerns surrounding changes at the Heath, the NPC representative advised that outcomes framework/theory was a more accurate description for the tool used, than theory of change. 

It was queried what the average age of the workshop members was. Members were advised that the age range was similar to that of the Consultative Committee. The Member suggested that an older age group be included in future work to ensure the data gathered was as inclusive as possible.

Members felt that change was reflected in the emphasis on diversity, shared ownership and the impact on health and quality of life. It was noted that the theme of events (as opposed to activities) was missing from the theory of change which was important as the right type of event could attract a diverse range of people to the Heath. Members also felt that it was important to show where conflicts had arisen or were likely to arise, e.g. the ground damage at the National Cross-Country Championships event, to ensure the competing needs of Heath users were balanced effectively. 

Members added that the overall objective of maintaining the natural aspect of the Heath should remain central to the future management of the Heath, and that thought should be given to how the idea of shared custodianship by all Heath stakeholders could be fostered.

The Chairman advised Members that the deadline to provide written feedback was 2 February 2018 and offered an invitation to NPC to present the final outcomes to the Committee.