Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Virginia Rounding (Deputy Chairman), Revd Dr Martin Dudley, Clare James, Barbara Newman, Deputy John Owen-Ward, Tom Sleigh, Deputy Alex Deane, Councillor Melvin Cohen (London Borough of Barnet), and Maija Roberts (Open Spaces Society/Ramblers’ Association).

There were none.

RESOLVED – That the public minutes and non-public summary of the last meeting held on 24 November 2014 be agreed, subject to the addition of Karina Dostalova having given her apologies for absence.

Matters Arising

Weddings and Civil Ceremonies at Hill Garden & Pergola

In response to a Member’s question, the Superintendent of Hampstead Heath advised that the soft launch had been completed and 13 bookings had already been made for 2015. He added that a report would be submitted to this Committee in September 2015.

To approve the public minutes and non-public summary of the meeting held on 24 November 2014.

RESOLVED – That the draft minutes of the Highgate Wood Joint Consultative Committee meeting held on 19 November 2014 be noted.

To note the draft minutes of the meeting held on 19 November 2014.

RESOLVED – That the draft minutes of the Highgate Wood Joint Consultative Committee meeting held on 19 November 2014 be noted.

To note the draft minutes of the meeting held on 19 November 2014.

RESOLVED – That the draft minutes of the Queen’s Park Joint Consultative Group meeting held on 19 November 2014 be noted.

A Member noted that Committee lunches at Guildhall Club were not paid for through the City of London Corporation’s operational budget and that this should be specified in the minutes.

Superintendent of Hampstead Heath to be heard on Hampstead Heath matters.

The Superintendent of Hampstead Heath verbally updated the Committee regarding the following matters relating to Hampstead Heath.

Property

Lido

The Superintendent advised that Contractors working for the City Surveyor had commenced works to repair the Lido café roof. The boundary wall would be rebuilt once these works had been completed.

The Superintendent added that a camera survey to investigate a leak at the lido was conducted on 14 January 2015, the results of which would be available soon.

East Heath Car Park

A topographic survey and further drain surveys had been carried out regarding storm water run-off. Findings were passed onto a consultant who was finalising plans to help mitigate the recent flash flooding issues. Additional drainage was planned for the car park, with separate measures for the hard standing area and the east to west path that would encourage water to drain into Highgate No 1 pond.

Hill Garden and Pergola

The Hill Garden steps above the Shelter were due to be tanked and the rendering replaced. These works were due to start on site in February 2015 and the City Surveyor would report to the March 2015 Hampstead Heath Consultative Committee to advise on the current condition of the structure.

Completed works

The Superintendent advised that refurbishment works at the Mixed Pond and the decoration of the Bandstand at Parliament Hill had been completed.

Fleet Update

New Vehicles

A new Trilo for waste collection had been ordered and was due to be delivered in March 2015. It was ordered in part-exchange to replace an older Trilo. A new Constabulary vehicle had also been ordered to replace the current oldest vehicle. The vehicle being replaced would be auctioned during spring 2015.

Equipment auctions

An equipment rationalisation project was started at the end of 2014. The project had

Report of the Director of Open Spaces.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Open Spaces regarding the issues relevant to the Division in managing and supporting green spaces across London. The Committee considered whether or not to appoint the Park Champions from the Committee and consultative committees to help promote each open space locally.

In response to a Member’s question, the Director of Open Spaces advised that there was no legal or financial obligation to appoint Park Champions but it would improve communication locally at each open space and would not be administratively onerous. The Superintendent added that the Heath would benefit from a closer relationship with the London Boroughs of Barnet, Brent and Haringey.

Members suggested that existing external members of this and the consultative committees who were also local Councillors were already well engaged so the Heath could benefit from their ability to approach their organisations with an official Park Champion title. Members noted that a decision to appoint Park Champions from existing members as local Councillors would be passed to the relevant consultative committee.

RESOLVED – That the option to seek to appoint those Members of the Hampstead Heath, Highgate Wood and Queen’s Park Committee, the Highgate Wood Joint Consultative Committee, and the Queen’s Park Joint Consultative Group who are also local Councillors as Park Champions for the Heath, Golders Hill Park, the Heath Extension, Highgate Wood and Queen’s Park, be approved.

Joint report of the Director of the Built Environment and the Director of Open Spaces.

The Committee considered a joint report of the Director of the Built Environment and the Director of Open Spaces that sought approval to additional budget allocation and authority to start work for the Hampstead Heath Ponds Project in accordance with the City of London Corporation’s project procedure.

Members were provided with a written deputation against the Ponds Project on behalf of the Protect our Ponds campaign. The Ponds Project and Management Support Officer addressed the issues raised in the deputation to the Committee.

The Ponds Project and Management Support Officer advised that the dam safety aspect of the project was based on the following standards: if a dam poses a risk to lives in a community, currently defined as ten or more people, then it must be able to pass the probable maximum flood. Therefore, the project was not designed to be a cost-benefit scheme. However, she noted that the Government valued each life at £1.5 million when considering road safety and, following the flooding in 2007, the value of life used was £1.2 million. This is significantly higher than the £670,000 figure included in the deputation.

The Ponds Project and Management Support Officer also advised that the Heath’s own ecologists were involved in developing the scheme alongside ecologists from Atkins. The ecological measures at Viaduct and Bird sanctuary will enhance the ecology of the Heath and are part of the mitigation measures approved by the London Borough of Camden on 15 January 2015. She added that all alternatives for tree loss at Stock Pond had been looked into following stakeholder concerns but none were considered acceptable as a spillway over the dam would have resulted in more tree loss beneath the dam and culverts would have been a significant visual intrusion.

Members were advised that the island at the

Superintendent of Hampstead Heath to be heard on Highgate Wood and Queen’s Park matters.

The Superintendent of Hampstead Heath verbally updated the Committee regarding the following matters relating to Highgate Wood and Queen’s Park.

Highgate Wood

Replacement of water main

Members were advised that the City Surveyor had organised works to replace the old lead water main from the Onslow gate entrance to the listed memorial fountain, which had been leaking for a number of years.The works were successfully completed on the 3 December 2014 and there was very little root damage caused.

Boundary Fence

Contractors employed by the City Surveyors Department would be carrying out repairs to the boundary fence of the Wood this spring.

Roman Kiln Project

The project was given approval to proceed to Heritage Lottery Funding (HLF) application on the 7 November 2014 by the Project Sub Committee. Members were advised that work would start on putting together the HLF funding application over the next few months.

Storm Warning System

Members were advised that the Wood had been closed recently due to severe weather so a notice system was now being implemented. The MET Office messaging service was becoming increasingly accurate and the staff now put up signage 24 hours before a predicted high wind event of over 40mph, giving notice that the site may have to close due to tree damage. This system had already been put into action on two separate occasions during winter and would now be adopted as standard procedure at Highgate Wood, Golders Hill Park and Queen’s Park.

Queen’s Park

Members were advised that the Team had been concentrating on clearing leaves and maintaining ditches and drains. Winter bulb planting with local schools had taken place with daffodils expected to emerge in the spring. A review of the Park’s signage had also been carried out by the Park Manager.

RESOLVED – That the

There were none.

The Chairman informed Members of the Committee that this was Tony Ghilchick’s last meeting as a Member of the Hampstead Heath, Highgate Wood and Queen’s Park Committee representing the Heath and Hampstead Society. The Committee thanked Mr Ghilchick for his contributions to the Heath for over eleven years and looked forward to welcoming John Beyer as the new representative for the Heath and Hampstead Society on the Committee. Mr Ghilchick thanked Members for their kind words and the City of London Corporation for their management of the Heath.

The Chairman also informed Members that a new Observer on the Open Spaces Committee would be appointed at the next Committee meeting.

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 meeting for the following items on the grounds

that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part 1

of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

Item No.                                             Paragraph No.

11 – 12                                                           3

To agree the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 24 November 2014.

RESOLVED – That the non-public minutes of the last meeting held on 24 November 2014 be agreed.

Appendices 4 & 5 relating to Item 6 of the Public Agenda.

RESOLVED – That the appendices be noted and approved in conjunction with item 6 of the public agenda.

There were none.

There was none.