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:

The Committee met on the rising of the West Ham Park Committee, later than the advertised time of 2.15pm. The Chairman welcomed members of the public to the meeting for Item 5 (Finsbury Circus Bowling Green).

 

Apologies were received from Karina Dostalova and John Beyer.

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

2.

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

Minutes:

There were no declarations.

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

3.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 241 KB

To agree the minutes of the previous meeting.

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

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 10 October 2016 were approved as a correct record.

 

Matters Arising

Seething Lane Garden

The Director of Open Spaces noted that the works were due to be completed in Summer 2017. A Member expressed the hope that the Pepys bust would remain in St Olave’s Churchyard and that a new, larger Pepys sculpture would feature in Seething Lane Garden.

 

Circus Animals in City Open Spaces

In response to a question, the Director of Open Spaces noted that the Hampstead Heath Consultative Committee had expressed the view that circus animals should be restricted to common animals such as dogs, instead of exotic animals.

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

4.

Superintendent's update December 2016 pdf icon PDF 92 KB

Report of the Superintendent, Parks & Gardens.

 

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

Minutes:

Members considered an update report of the Superintendent of City Gardens and the following points were made.

 

In response to an observation the Superintendent agreed to raise with the relevant team the fact that soil from flowerbeds in Postman’s Park tended to wash onto paths during wet weather.

 

In response to a further comment, the Superintendent apologised for the fact the City Christmas Tree Lighting clashed with a number of Committee meetings, but that the event was subject to the Lord Mayor’s availability.

 

RECEIVED

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

5.

Finsbury Circus Reinstatement - Bowling Green Issue Report pdf icon PDF 120 KB

Report of the Director of Open Spaces.

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

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Members considered a report of the Director of Open Spaces concerning the Bowling Green at Finsbury Circus. The Town Clerk noted that an email dated 29 November from a representative of the Bowling Club had been circulated to Members outside of the meeting for information.

 

The Superintendent noted that the recommendation of the report was based on balancing the needs of all users of Finsbury Circus to best effect. In response to a question, he confirmed that, as far as he was aware, an alternative pay for play bowling facility was available at Finsbury Square.

 

A Member noted that the Bowling Club has been under threat since at least the 1980s, and that he was not comfortable with the argument that the Bowling Club would preclude the use of the space by other users. He queried whether the City of London Corporation offered such a unique space elsewhere within the Square Mile where sport was promoted.

 

The Superintendent replied that the key issue concerning sport in the Square Mile was space – for example there were no football facilities but there was a netball facility at St Botolph’s.

 

A Member commented that several major developments in the City over the past few years had led to a significant increase in the number of City workers, leading to an intensification of the City’s daytime population. These workers had to be factored into the overall provision of City open spaces.

 

A vote was held on the recommendation within the report, which was carried 10 votes to nil.

 

RESOLVED, that Members

 

·         Reaffirm the resolution taken in December 2014 to endorse the reinstatement of Finsbury Circus Garden to be laid out for general public access as a high quality garden space and without the introduction of specialist sporting surfaces exclusively aimed at

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

6.

Open Spaces Department, City Gardens and West Ham Park Risk Management pdf icon PDF 241 KB

Report of the Director of Open Spaces.

 

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

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Members considered and approved a report of the Director of Open Spaces regarding Open Spaces Department, City Gardens and West Ham Park Risk Management.

 

RESOLVED, that Members approve the Parks and Gardens Risk Register included within Appendix 3e of the report.

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

7.

Open Spaces Business Plan - Quarter 2 Update pdf icon PDF 107 KB

Report of the Director of Open Spaces.

 

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

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Members considered an update report of the Director of Open Spaces regarding Quarter 2 of the Open Spaces Business Plan.

 

RECEIVED

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

8.

Revenue & Capital Budgets - Open Spaces & City Gardens 2016/17 & 2017/18 pdf icon PDF 236 KB

Report of the Director of Open Spaces.

 

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

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Members considered a report of the Chamberlain and the Director of Open Spaces regarding Revenue and Capital Budgets for Open Spaces and City Gardens 2016/17 and 2017/18.

 

RECEIVED

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

9.

Greater London National park City Initiative pdf icon PDF 97 KB

Report of the Director of Open Spaces.

 

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

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Members considered a report of the Director of Open Spaces concerning the Greater London National Park City Initiative. The Director noted that the proposal was underpinned by a lot of potential for wider partnerships across London but that it was too early for officers to make a recommendation to Members.

 

RECEIVED  

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

10.

Bats in Trees Policy pdf icon PDF 94 KB

Report of the Director of Open Spaces.

 

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

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Members considered a report of the Director of Open Spaces regarding a Bats in Trees policy. In response to questions, the Director noted that the Open Spaces Department had bat handling expertise, and that a bat handler tended to be a bat ecologist who was licensed by Natural England. There were at least 10 of 18 UK species of bat present in Epping Forest alone.

 

RESOLVED, that Members

 

·         Approve the Bats in Trees policy for adoption;

·         Agree that the Bats in Trees policy be communicated to other relevant departments to ensure a consistent approach to management across the City of London Corporation.

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

11.

Open Spaces Learning Programme pdf icon PDF 317 KB

Report of the Director of Open Spaces.

 

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

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Members considered a report of the Director of Open Spaces concerning short term funding arrangements for the Open Spaces Learning Programme. The Director noted that the report would also be submitted to the January meeting of the City’s Education Board for information.

 

RESOLVED, that Members note the report and the appended minutes from the Policy and Resources Committee.

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

12.

Questions on Matters Relating to the Work of the Committee

Minutes:

There were no questions.

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

13.

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

Minutes:

There was no other business.

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

14.

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 Paragraph 3 of Part I of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

 

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

Minutes:

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

 

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

15.

Introduction of a formal out-of-hours call-out rota for Hampstead Heath, Highgate Wood & Queen's Park, and the resultant reduction in requirements for operational residential properties

Report of the Director of Open Spaces.

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

Minutes:

Members considered a report of the Superintendent of Hampstead Heath concerning the introduction of an out-of-hours rota at Hampstead Heath, Highgate Wood and Queen’s Park. The Director noted that the report was for information only as the substantive decision was for the Hampstead Heath, Highgate Wood and Queen’s Park Committee.

 

RECEIVED

 

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

16.

Any questions on non public matters relating to the work of the committee

Minutes:

There were no questions.

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

17.

Any other non public business which the chairman considers urgent

Minutes:

EcoCycle

The Superintendent of City Gardens was heard regarding a proposal from EcoCycle.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 17.