Agenda item

Report of the Superintendent of Hampstead Heath.

Members considered a report of the Superintendent of Hampstead Heath regarding the review of the 2017 Events Programme and the provisional 2018 Events Programme. The Leisure & Events Manager provided his highlights for 2017 and an update on what was coming up for the year to come. The following comments were made.

·         It was noted that 2017 was a great year for events at the Heath and there were 101 events in total. Particular highlights for the Committee included the London Youth Games, “One Man and his Dog” and the Night of 10,000m.

·         The 2018 National Cross-Country Championships takes place on 24 February 2018 at Parliament Hill. Members were advised that two Shire Horses would attend the Heath on the Sunday following the Cross-Country Championships to carry out restoration works.

·         The Night of the 10,000m Personal Bests international event would return to the Heath on 19 May 2018. This is expected to receive extensive media coverage bringing 40 world class athletes to the track to compete in the Europa Cup. Members were advised that discussions are taking place with the BBC to make this event available on television via the Red Button.

·         A Member queried the “Hounds of the Heath” event and other similar events. The Leisure & Events Manager advised that this was a charity event and that the money raised went to a dog charity.

• The Chairman drew Members attention to paragraphs 22-23 regarding the use of animals at the annual circus event at the Heath. In addition to the representation from Zippos Circus which was circulated to the Committee prior to the meeting, the Chairman advised that Mr Hibling had sent a second letter stressing how fond Zippos are of the Heath which it has been working with for the last 20 years.

• Members were advised that Zippos Circus’ last visit to the Heath in 2016. The event attracted intense protest from animal rights activists and the City Corporation received a petition with 8,500 signatures against the use of animals at the event. The Committee’s main concern was the safety and security of the public and staff, as well as the potential damage to the reputation of the Hampstead Heath Charity. Members discussed different security options, as the Metropolitan Police do not have the resources to support future events and were not able to support the 2016 event.

• The intense protests at the 2016 event resulted in the redeployment of all on duty Hampstead Heath Constabulary Officers to manage the event. This was unacceptable and resulted in the wider Heath being unpatrolled during the event.

• In light of these security concerns, it was decided that the circus would be asked to provide safety fencing around the circus area and provide additional security staff to manage the attendees and other people in the vicinity of the circus big top. It was also decided that a health and safety assessment would be carried out by the City Corporation to decide what safety procedures would be required.

• Members discussed the HHCC’s recommendation to not include animals and some questioned whether the City Corporation could legally prevent a licensed circus event from containing performing animals (domestic or exotic). It was noted that the Heath has other public events that contain performing animals and also uses working animals. The Chief Solicitor advised Members that a decision either way on whether to allow performing circus animals on the Heath would be lawful provided it was based on practical administrative considerations rather than moral or ethical considerations. In answer to a question from a Member, he confirmed that public perception of the Charity was a legitimate concern for the Committee because this might impact on the activities of the Charity and could therefore be distinguished from the ethical views of individual Members. He also confirmed that, whilst the Committee had a statutory duty to have regard to the representations of the HHCC, this was only to the extent that such representations could properly be taken into account in any particular case.

• The Chairman asked Members to take a decision to either support the recommendation of the HHCC to ask Zippos Circus not to bring animals if they return to the Heath, make a different recommendation or to postpone the decision to the next meeting pending more information as per a Member’s request.

• The Committee voted on an amended recommendation (7 Members were supportive and 1 Member abstained) and approved that a circus on the Heath in 2018 should be allowed to feature performing animals (domestic) provided that the City was satisfied (1) that the welfare of those animals met statutory standards and (2) the City satisfying itself that any such circus put in place appropriate security measures to ensure there was no repeat of the disorder that was seen when Zippos last visited the Heath in 2016. Safety of members of the general public and Heath staff should be assured. Authority was delegated to the Town Clerk, in consultation with the Chairman and Deputy Chairman, to make the final decision on whether the final circus provider, if they featured performing domestic animals, had satisfied any security measures deemed necessary. This judgement would be based on the consideration of a full health and safety assessment/risk assessment conducted by the City.

• The Superintendent advised Members that there would be an opportunity to revisit the use of performing animals on the Heath from 2019 onwards when the new Hampstead Heath Events Policy comes to the Committee later in the year.

RESOLVED –

·         Members noted the success of the 2017 Hampstead Heath Events Programme in engaging with audiences, attracting new visitors to the Heath, and working with partners to provide a valuable service for the local community and beyond;

·         Members took the views of the HHCC into account regarding the potential damage to the public perception and reputation of the Hampstead Heath Charity; and the potential security issues arising from the use of performing animals (domestic). However, the Committee approved that a circus on the Heath in 2018 should be allowed to feature performing domestic animals provided that the above requests of the Committee were adhered to by the circus;

·         Members agreed the proposed 2018 Events Programme, taking account of the views of the HHCC.