Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Alderman Ian Luder, Wendy Mead, Deputy Stanley Ginsburg, Deputy Robert Howard and Virginia Rounding.

There were no declarations.

Orders of the Court of Common Council, 25 April 2013:

(i)            Appointing the Committee

(ii)          Approving the Committee’s Terms of Reference (copy attached).

The Order of the Court of Common Council dated 25 April 2013 appointing the Committee and approving its Terms of Reference was received.

RECEIVED

Election of Chairman for the ensuing year in accordance with Standing Order 29.

The Committee proceeded to elect a Chairman in accordance with Standing Order 29. The

Town Clerk read out a list of Members who were eligible to stand and Alderman Robert

Hall, being the only Member expressing his willingness to serve, was declared to be duly

elected Chairman of the Committee for the ensuing year.

Alderman Robert Hall was nominated as the Committee Representative to the Streets and

Walkways Sub (Planning) Committee.

Election of Deputy Chairman for the ensuing year in accordance with Standing Order 30.

The Committee proceeded to elect a Deputy Chairman in accordance with Standing

Order 30. The Town Clerk read out a list of Members who were eligible to stand and

Alderman Ian Luder, being the only Member expressing his willingness to serve, was

declared to be duly elected Deputy Chairman of the Committee for the ensuing year.

To agree the public minutes and summary of Open Spaces and City Gardens business at the meeting held on 15 April 2013 (copy attached).

The public minutes of the meeting held on 15 April 2013 were approved as a correct record.

Matters Arising

National Planning Policy Framework – In response to questions from the Chairman, the Director of Open Spaces reported that the Mayor’s London Plan Team were likely to provide more clarity on both basement development and development affecting the skyline. A question remained over to what distance from Open Spaces these new guidelines would apply, with the Corporation arguing in favour of at least 1km. But fundamentally the London Plan Team has accepted that peripheral protection of Open Spaces from development is required. A member of the Committee noted that all London boroughs, including the Corporation, had to be in conformity with the London Plan within six months of its publication.

The Director of Open Spaces to be heard.

The Director of Open Spaces gave a presentation on a forthcoming research report authored by the Economic Development Office and the Public Relations Office on the value of Green Spaces to London and Londoners. The report is currently in draft form and will be finalised and circulated within the next few weeks.

The report examines the benefits of Green Spaces to London and across four themes: environmental, well-being, social and economic. Green Spaces help reduce heat retention in cities by c. 1-1.5 degrees Celsius, reduce the risk of flooding and also promote better air quality. Access to Green Spaces can also improve physical and mental well-being, with access to Green Spaces helping to combat obesity and improve cardiovascular health. Evidence from East London suggests that they can help reduce health inequalities. Social benefits include better cognitive skills among children with easy access to Green Space.

The economic benefits of Green Spaces include savings around dealing with the impact of flooding and the reduction of pollution. Areas in close proximity to Green Space tend to have better land and property values, and there is evidence that 70% of tourists take into account Green Space when choosing their holiday destination.

The Director noted that it was difficult to assess the particular environmental benefits arising from the range of diversity in Green Spaces, and that there was limited research on economic comparisons between cities. She concluded by saying that the report confirmed the preconceptions of the Directorate of Open Spaces, particularly those around environmental benefits. The Director finished by drawing attention to two pieces of research of particular interest in the report bibliography, a report of the European Centre of Environment and Human Health entitled Would you be happier living in a greener urban area? and the International Federation of Park and Recreation

A report of the Director of Open Spaces (to be tabled at the meeting).

The Director of Open Spaces noted that the Open Spaces Annual Report had been published in the revised format first adopted the previous year, and that copies were available for Members to collect at the end of the meeting.

The Chairman called on Members to make any comments to the Director by email.

RECEIVED

A report of the Director of Open Spaces (copy attached).

The Open Spaces Departmental Business Manager introduced the Annual Review of Volunteer Working in the Open Spaces for 2012/13. She drew attention to the scale of volunteering and the emphasis in the past year of improving quality of experience for individual volunteers.

A member noted that the figures listed on page 12 with respect to volunteering at Hampstead Heath were inaccurate and that there was a 2% increase in volunteering in 2012/13 rather than a 1% fall.

An Observer to the Committee commented that the report seemed to understate the scope for volunteering. The Chairman of the Epping Forest and Commons Committee endorsed this and noted that in some areas of the Open Spaces Directorate, the volunteers were managing themselves.

In response to a question from a Member, the Chairman of the Hampstead Heath, Highgate Wood and Queen’s Park Committee said that he was unsure why there were no volunteer leaders on the Heath, but commented that this may be possible if RSPB provided some more training, and that there was perhaps more scope for this on the City Commons.

The Chairman noted that it was important that volunteering was not perceived as securing free labour. Instead it must be emphasised that this was an activity that sought to improve the wellbeing of those who chose to volunteer and that it provided volunteers with the opportunity to support their community.

The Director of Open Spaces said that the ideas expressed so far would be developed and that this would take time and that the Directorate was learning from its experience with volunteers thus far across all of its sites.

RECEIVED

A report of the Director of Open Spaces (copy attached).

The Open Spaces Departmental Business Manager introduced a report on tree diseases and informed the Committee that a copy would be circulated via email shortly.

In response to a request from a Member, the Director of Open Spaces agreed to draw up a concise briefing note on actions currently being taken by the Corporation to combat tree diseases, and that this would be circulated via email.

RECEIVED

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

The Committee received a verbal update from the City Gardens Manager. The following points were made.

Finance - City Garden’s budget is in line with agreed budget profiles.

Staff - full complement of staff with a newly appointed Support Service Officer recently recruited.

Bedding

There is a two week delay for the summer bedding to be delivered to City Gardens. This is due to the late growing season due a cold winter and spring. The team have started to remove the winter schemes to ensure the summer bedding is planted as quickly as possible.

Projects

St Paul’s Walk, a new landscaping scheme, funded by Network Rail is now complete. This has replaced a previously overgrown shrub bed. The landscaping consists of multi stemmed silver birches and lawn areas, making good use of the restricted area for seating and views of the river.

London and Britain in Bloom – July and August

Judging is to take place in July and early August and as mentioned in previous updates this year’s theme is ‘Edibles’. To celebrate this theme, one of the volunteer City Gardens guides designed an ‘Edible Walk’ which took place on the weekend of 8/9 June as part of the Open Squares weekend.  She has reported that the walk was a great success; people were encouraged to eat Pansies Marigolds, Comfrey and Cornflowers as part of the experience.

Open Squares Weekend, 8 and 9 June

The City Gardens took part in the Open Squares this weekend, to draw attention to our gardens. The edible walk mentioned above was a new activity, as well as a treasure hunt designed and implemented by a group of corporate volunteers from the Discovery Channel. The hunt was felt to be imaginative, informative and fun, and can be a template event for future occasions.

Green

Cleary Gardens

In response to a query from a Member, the City Gardens Manager confirmed that works had been carried out by MITIE on the bannister in Cleary Gardens but that the works were felt to be unsatisfactory. This was being addressed by officers and the Committee would be updated in due course.

Agenda Content

In response to concerns raised by a Member, the Director of Open Spaces apologised that the majority of Committee business consisted of reports for information. This was largely due to recent staffing issues and that future business of the Committee would be geared towards decision-making.

There were no urgent items.