Agenda item

Report of the Superintendent of Burnham Beeches & the Commons.

The Committee received an update from the Superintendent and noted that the Kenley Revival Project was progressing well; the mortar faults to the blast pens continue to be investigated by the architects, ‘Avanti’. Brick and mortar samples testing has been conducted by the Building Research Establishment (BRE). Current circumstances have suggested it was an extreme sulphate attack in combination with the materials, soil and rain. The Superintendent and Project Team have met with the City Corporation’s Commercial Contracts team to review the City’s position. A

meeting with Avanti, PAYE, Historic England and Officers, including the

Commercial Contracts team is scheduled for 6th September. This meeting will

determine the programme of rectification works and responsibilities for

associated costs.

The ‘Learning Roadshow’ engaged over 350 schoolchildren in workshops.

The roadshow was held in local libraries and all schools which took part had

not previously engaged with the Kenley Revival Project.

A ‘priorities pot’ application for the role of a Legacy Project Officer to achieve

post-project legacy aims had been awarded and will be for 21 months

beginning in January 2019. ‘Community Archaeology’ was held 16 – 25th July with 30 volunteers taking part and 30 Open Spaces staff joining in from across the Department. The dig will also be included in a future episode of the BBC4 production ‘Digging for Britain’. The finds are currently being rationalised in discussion with Museum of London who have selected three pieces to go into their collections.

A planning application for onsite interpretation signage has been granted.

Planners indicated that the signs need to be reduced further due to visual

clutter and the MoD plans for the fence which was reached through

compromise with the planners. The timetable for the works has been revised

with the ‘small and large wings’ expected to be installed by mid-November

along with the production of the travelling exhibition. The ‘table top signs’ will

be designed, manufactured and installed a few weeks later.

Remembrance season is planned for November consisting of; school

assemblies, handling workshops, pop-up museums, theatre performance,

showcase at other museums. The Superintendent will represent the City at

the annual Remembrance Day service at Kenley Tribute.

The project has successfully achieved all its volunteer contributions for the

project including the financial contribution with over 1,100 contributions

delivering 317 days of volunteering. Over 14,500 people have been engaged

in physical activities on and offsite.

The Kenley Revival Project Manager is moving to a new post with the

National Trust from mid-September. Negotiations are to ensue with HLF to

resolve how best to fill the post given that only 9 months remain of the

contract.

Resolved – that the update be received.