Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Wendy Mead and Deputy Phillip Woodhouse.

No declarations were received.

To agree the draft minutes of the previous meeting of the Open Spaces and City Gardens Committee held on the 2^nd of December 2020.

The Committee considered the public minutes and non-public summary of the Open Spaces and City Gardens Committee meeting held on the 12^thof December 2020.

RESOLVED- That the public minutes of the Open Spaces and City Gardens Committee meeting held on the 12^thof December 2020 be approved as an

accurate record.

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk on the Open Spaces and City Gardens Committee’s Terms of Reference.

RESOLVED- That: -

     I.        the terms of reference of the Open Spaces and City Gardens Committee, subject to any comments, be approved for submission to the Court of Common Council in April, and that any further changes required in the lead up to the Court’s appointment of Committees be delegated to the Town Clerk in consultation with the Chairman and Deputy Chairman; and

    II.        That Members considered no change be required to the frequency of the Committee’s meetings.

Report of the Director of Open Spaces.

The Committee considered a joint report of the Director of Open Spaces and Chamberlain on the Departmental and Service Committee budget Estimates 2021/22.

The Committee discussed opportunities for holding appropriate events in the City Gardens to provide valuable income opportunities. The Director of Open Spaces explained that, while the sites in the City Gardens are not as large as the open spaces outside of the City of London, events in the City Gardens had been marketed. It was added that the Open Spaces Act 2018 requirement to keep open spaces accessible to the public and the COVID restrictions could potentially cause difficulties for holding events.

Following a Member’s query, the Director of Open Spaces confirmed that the maintenance of the Barbican Gardens would not be impacted by the efficiency savings of 12% as these are funded by Barbican Residents through the service charge account.

It was raised by a Member that the Hampstead Heath, Highgate Wood and Queens Park Committee Budget for 2021/22, appended to the report, was not the updated version as agreed by the Hampstead Heath, Highgate Wood and Queens Park Committee. Further to this the Committee agreed that the recommendations of the report would be approved with the caveat that the updated Hampstead Heath, Highgate Wood and Queens Park Committee Budget for 2021/22 be included when presented to the Finance Committee.

A West Ham Park Committee local observer appointed to the Committee confirmed that as the West Ham Park Committee had not yet received the report so the approval would need to be given subsequently from the West Ham Park Committee its 2021/22 Budget.

RESOLVED- That: -

1. The Directorate, Bunhill Fields and City Gardens proposed revenue budget for 2021/22 be approved for submission to Finance Committee; and
2. That the City Gardens and Bunhill Fields capital

Report of the Director of Open Spaces.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Open Spaces on the 2021/22 Events Fees and Charges for the City Gardens. The report proposed that the fees and charges for events that are held in City Gardens sites throughout the 2021//22 financial year be increased by 1.3% in line with the November Retail Price index figure and explained the rationale behind this suggestion.

The Committee discussed the need for a greater increase in the Fees and Charges for the City Gardens noting the need for the Department to be more commercially minded. The Committee agreed the recommended increase but also instructed Officers to provide a further report later in the year with an update on the position and more information on possible increased charges.

RESOLVED- That the proposed 2021/22 fees and charges as set out in Appendix 1 of the report be approved.

Report of the Director of Open Spaces.

The Committee received a report of the Director of Open Spaces on the update for the City Gardens section since December 2020. The Director of Open Spaces informed the Committee that the report on the Finsbury Circus Reinstatement was now included in the non-public section of the agenda. In addition, the Director invited Members to provide any further comments on the Draft Biodiversity Action Plan in the proceeding two weeks.

The Director of Open Spaces informed the Committee of the vandalism experienced at the City Christmas Tree noting that key lessons learnt on this had been taken on board by Officers. The Committee commented on their disappointment that this had taken place and encouraged Officers to take all necessary action to resolve this.

A Member questioned the use of mixed hedging at Moor Lane and whether the proposed design provided an increased or decreased amount of garden compared with what was there previously. The Director of Open Spaces replied that an answer to this point would be provided to the Member in question. Further to a query regarding a cycle lane in Moor Lane’s usage for lorries it was noted by the Chairman of the Streets and Walkways Sub-Committee that he would investigate this issue.

RESOLVED- That the report be noted.

A Member requested further information on the business engagement with the Draft Biodiversity Action Plan within the City of London. The Director of Open Spaces confirmed that there had been significant engagement with City Businesses within the Draft Biodiversity Action Plan and that the aim was to widen this engagement. The Chairman added that recent planning approval within the City of London had included the provision of green space in new development.

No further business was considered.

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.

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.

To agree the non-public minutes of the previous meeting of the Open Spaces and City Gardens Committee held on the 2^nd of December 2020.

The Committee considered the non-public minutes of the previous meeting of the Open Spaces and City Gardens Committee held on the 12^th of December.

RESOLVED- That the non-public minutes of the previous meeting of the Open Spaces and City Gardens Committee held on the 12th of December be approved as a accurate record.

Report of the City Surveyor.

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

RESOLVED- That the report be approved.

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

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