Agenda and draft minutes

Venue: Committee Room - 2nd Floor West Wing, Guildhall

Contact: Natasha Dogra  Email: natasha.dogra@cityoflondon.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies

Minutes:

Apologies had been received from Alderman Gordon Haines, Wendy Mead, John Beyer and Deputy Alex Deane.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 1.

2.

Members' Declarations Under the Code of Conduct in Respect of Items on the Agenda

Minutes:

No declarations were made.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.

3.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 191 KB

To agree the minutes of the previous meeting.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 3.

Minutes:

Resolved – that the minutes of the previous meeting be agreed as an accurate record.

 

Matters Arising:

Open Spaces Bill

The Remembrancer informed Members that the Open Spaces Bill had been deposited in Parliament on 27th November 2015. The first reading was due to take place in January 2016, with a second reading soon after. Members thanked all the Officers who had been involved for their work and commended useful and in depth consultation which had taken place.

 

St Mary-At-Hill Churchyard Gateway 4

Officers informed Members that the St Mary-At-Hill Churchyard Gateway 4 project had been approved by the Project Sub Committee at their meeting on 4th November 2015, subject to all funding being provided as stated in the report.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

4.

To review the terms of reference of the Committee pdf icon PDF 9 KB

Report of the Town Clerk.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 4.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered the report of the Town Clerk regarding the terms of reference and frequency of meetings. The Committee agreed that they had considered some light agendas over the past year and it would be helpful to investigate the possibility of altering the frequency of meetings from six to five meetings per annum. The Town Clerk agreed to submit a report with proposed dates for five meetings in the 2017/18 municipal year to the February 2016 Committee meeting.

 

Resolved – that the terms of reference be agreed by the Committee.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

5.

Operational Property pdf icon PDF 114 KB

Report of The Chamberlain and the City Surveyor

 

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 5.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered a report of the Chamberlain and City Surveyor in relation to the Operational Property review and noted that this was a cross-cutting Service Based Review which was taking a more strategic view of the operational assets the City of London Corporation had. The review aimed to identify opportunities to rationalise the Corporation’s operational property portfolio and reduce the high and rising cost of property.

 

Members were informed that this report would now be considered by the Corporate Asset Sub Committee and then the Resource Allocation Committee in December 2015. Services Committees would then receive reports for decision from January 2016 onwards.

 

Received.

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

6.

2015/16 Business Plan Quarterly Performance Update - Quarter 2 pdf icon PDF 118 KB

Report of the Director of Open Spaces.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 6.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee received the report of the Director of Open Spaces summarising the performance against the 2015/16 – 2017/18 business plan. With regards to the Learning Programme, Members were informed that this was now being processed as a ‘green’ indicator as the City Bridge Trust funding application had been approved. Alternate sources of funding were also identified and submissions made but had yet to be realised. In response to a query, Officers agreed to include information regarding unsuccessful funding bids in the annual report for the Committee’s information.

 

Officers informed Members that the ten green flag awards and six heritage awards had been retained by the City.

 

Received.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

7.

Oak Processionary Moth impact on City of London Open Spaces in 2015 and future plans pdf icon PDF 1 MB

Report of the Director of Open Spaces.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 7.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee received the report of the Director of Open Spaces that provided an update on the OPM population and its management at the North London Open Spaces, following the discovery of caterpillars and nests at Queen’s Park and Hampstead Heath in June 2015. Members were advised that the total spend on inspections, admin time and nest removals in 2015 had been £9,480 and this figure was expected to rise year on year as more nests were found and more treatment required.

 

In response to a query from Members, Officers said public notices were displayed to raise awareness regarding OPM which should help identify the disease. Members agreed that it was very difficult to identify the disease until it was too late but hoped that raising public awareness would help the situation in the future.

 

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

8.

Revenue & Capital Budgets - 2015/16 & 2016/17 pdf icon PDF 297 KB

Joint report of the Chamberlain and Director of Open Spaces.

Appendix 4 is non-public and can be found at item

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 8.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee received the report of the Director of Open Spaces regarding the revenue and capital budgets for 2015/16 and 2016/17.

 

Resolved – that the following be approved:

·         The budget for submission to the Finance Committee; and

 

·         Authorised the Chamberlain, in consultation with the Director of Open Spaces, to revise these budgets to allow for any further implications arising from Corporate Projects, departmental reorganisations and other reviews, and changes to the Additional Works Programme. Any changes over £50,000 would be reported to Committee.

 

 

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

9.

Update from the Superintendent of Parks and Gardens pdf icon PDF 95 KB

Report of Superintendent of Parks and Gardens

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 9.

Minutes:

The Committee received an update to Members of the Open Spaces & City Gardens Committee on management and operational activities across the City Gardens section since October 2015. Members noted that the Superintendent and City Surveyor were consulting with Transport for London regarding the layout of the proposed Cycle Superhighway to ensure deliveries to the depot could still be made in a suitable manner.

 

In response to a query, it was noted that “No Smoking” signs around some open spaces had encouraged the public to not smoke in these areas. Officers said that there had only been one complaint received to date.

 

Received.

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

10.

Questions on Matters Relating to the Work of the Committee

Minutes:

There were no questions.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

11.

Any Other Business That the Chairman Considers Urgent and Which the Committee Agree Should Be Considered

Minutes:

There was no urgent business.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

12.

Exclusion of the Public

MOTION: That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

 

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 12.

Minutes:

MOTION - That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part I of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.

13.

Non-Public Minutes

To agree the minutes of the previous meeting.

 

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 13.

Minutes:

Resolved – that the minutes of the previous meeting be agreed as an accurate record.

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.

14.

Revenue and Capital Budgets Non Public Appendix

Joint report of the Chamberlain and Director of Open Spaces.

To be considered in conjunction with item 7.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 14.

Minutes:

The appendix was considered in consultation with the Revenue and Capital Budgets report.

 

Received.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.

15.

Questions on Matters Relating to the Work of the Committee

Minutes:

There was one question.  

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 15.

16.

Any Other Business That the Chairman Considers Urgent and Which the Committee Agree Should Be Considered Whilst the Public Are Excluded

Minutes:

There was no urgent business.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 16.