Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Barbara Newman.

There were no declarations received.

To agree the public minutes and non-public summary of the previous meeting of the Open Spaces & City Gardens Committee on 15 July 2019. 

The Committee considered the public minutes and non-public summary of the meeting of the Open Spaces & City Gardens Committee held on the 15^th of July 2019.

RESOLVED- That the public minutes and non-public summary of the Open Spaces & City Gardens Committee on the 15^th of July 2019.

Director of Open Spaces to be heard.

The Director of Open Spaces provided Members with a summary of the impact of the Brexit process on the City of London Corporation’s Open Spaces Department. The Director of Open Spaces confirmed that the Department had established contingency plans to mitigate issues related to the Brexit processes including securing funding from the Department of Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs’ Countryside Stewardship Scheme in relation to Epping Forest.

RESOLVED- That the update be noted.

Report of the Director of Open Spaces.

The Committee received a report of the Director of Open Spaces regarding the Three-year review of the Open Spaces Department’s ‘Green Spaces, Learning Places’ programme. Members commented that the Learning programme was of vital importance to the Open Spaces department and endorsed the continued funding of similar educational schemes. Following comments made by Members of the Committee the Chairman agreed that more should be done to publicise the educational work undertaken by the Open Spaces Department.

RESOLVED- That the report be noted.

Report of the Director of Open Spaces.

The Committee received a report of the Director of Open Spaces which provided an update on the management and operational activities across the City Gardens section since July 2019.

The Chairman commended the City Gardens section on receipt of the Gold London in Bloom award and observed that more should be done to publicise the similar successes of the Open Spaces Department.

RESOLVED- That the report be noted.

There were no questions received in the public session.

Joint report of the Director of Innovation & Growth, Director of the Built Environment and Director of Open Spaces.

The Committee considered a late joint report of the Director of Innovation & Growth, Director of the Built Environment and Director of Open Spaces relating to the Climate Action Briefing Implementation. The Director of Open Spaces introduced the report and outlined the intention of the three directors to combine resources to more effectively tackle carbon emissions and increase resilience to changed weather patterns. In addition, the Director highlighted the importance of Open Spaces Department to this work through carbon offsetting and noted the City’s target of achieving carbon neutrality by 2030.

A Member of the Committee noted that the Scope 3 emissions would be the most challenging for the City of London Corporation to combat and stated that an increased importance on sustainability would be need for construction within the City of London.

RESOLVED- That: -

1. The robust approach taken and current position of developing a Climate Action Strategy for both the Square Mile and the City of London Corporation be noted; and
2. That the reprioritisation of 2019-20 Open Spaces (£75,000) budget to cover the costs of the consultancy support required to deliver the Climate Action Briefing be approved.

There was no urgent business considered in the public session.

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.

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

To agree the non-public minutes of the previous meeting of the Open Spaces & City Gardens Committee held on 15 July 2019.

The Committee considered the non-public minutes of the meeting of the Open Spaces & City Gardens Committee held on the 15^th of July 2019.

RESOLVED- That the non-public minutes of the Open Spaces & City Gardens Committee on the 15^th of July 2019 be approved as an accurate record.

Report of the City Surveyor.

The Committee considered a report of the City Surveyor on the Finsbury Circus Garden Reinstatement.

RESOLVED- That the report be agreed.

Report of the City Surveyor.

The Committee considered a report of the City Surveyor on Rennie Gardens.

RESOLVED- That the report be agreed as amended by the Committee.

Report of the Town Clerk.

That the Committee received a report of the Town Clerk on action taken meetings of the Committee in accordance with Standing Order 41 (a).

RESOLVED- That the report be noted.

There were no questions received in the non-public session.

There was no urgent business considered in the non-public session.