Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies were received from John Etheridge (represented by John Hunt), Steve Ripley, Harunur Rashid and Sharleen McGee.

There were none.

To agree the public minutes and summary of the meeting held on 6 July 2020.

The public minutes of the meeting held on 6 July 2020 were approved as a correct record.

Matters Arising

In response to a query concerning the refusal of telecoms at Ivy House monopole, the Superintendent confirmed that the application was still being considered by the local authority and Members would receive an update when the outcome was received.

To receive the draft public minutes of the Hampstead Heath, Highgate Wood and Queen's Park Committee meeting held on 9 September 2020.

The public minutes of the Hampstead Heath, Highgate Wood and Queen’s Park Committee (HHHWQPC) meeting held on 9 September 2020 were received.

To receive the draft public minutes of the Hampstead Heath Sports Advisory Forum meeting held on 30 September 2020.

The draft public minutes of the Hampstead Heath Sports Advisory Forum meeting held on 30 September 2020 were received.

Members were advised that the Forum intended to investigate how many people wanted to engage in sport and active recreation at the Heath. This role was recognised to be of increasing value with the potential to alter the balance of how the Heath is used.

The Chair of the Committee to be heard.       

Members are asked to note Lord Lisvane’s Governance Review found here.

Members received an oral update from the Chair concerning the City Corporation’s Governance Review. Members also noted Lord Lisvane’s report and a note on the relationship between the Hampstead Heath Management Committee and the Hampstead Heath Consultative Committee.

The Chair stated that Lisvane’s report was a comprehensive review of everything including the Standing Orders. A major review point was the number of committees which was higher than the number of Members. It was acknowledged that some areas were addressed in more detail than others, with the Open Spaces as a whole considered to be much less detailed than needed.

The Review recommended the disbandment of a number of consultative committees, including the Hampstead Heath Consultative Committee, and the merger of the four open spaces grand committees into one overarching committee. The Chair emphasized that the statutory requirements for Hampstead Heath prohibited this and that Lord Lisvane had not fully understood the implications of the legislation, laws or byelaws.

The Chair stated that this was the start of the process and that the report did not acknowledge an order to fulfil recommendations. The Chair was keen to keep Members involved in the process and share their views on the recommendations.

Members made the following comments:

·         The Chair and Deputy Chairman stressed their view that consultative groups were very helpful and had an important role in terms of accountability and local engagement.

·         A Member (London Council for Recreation and Sport) regarded the report to be highly bureaucratic and Square Mile focussed with radical proposals made without proper analysis. For example, Lord Lisvane had not taken into account the implications of what would happen if the consultative committees were disbanded and the voice of local groups was lost. It was highlighted that the City Corporation was outwards as well as inwards facing and

Report of the Superintendent of Hampstead Heath.

Members considered an update report of the Superintendent regarding Highgate Wood and the following comments were made:

·         The Superintendent was conscious of staff fatigue after a difficult year and thanked all staff for their ongoing support and hard work. Thanks was echoed by Members of the Committee.

·         In relation to the Constabulary, Members were informed that there was a recognisable change in how open spaces were being used with more people gathering in them socially. Gatherings as large as 80-100 of mainly young adults were experienced at the Heath throughout the summer and Rangers applied the four E’s approach of Engage, Explain, Encourage, Enforce to manage groups. The Constabulary continue to engage with the MET who have provided ongoing support to enforce Government guidelines.

·          The Superintendent updated Members on four planning applications:

o   Ivy House monopole. The application has been refused on the basis that the monopole and equipment would, by reason of their size, siting and appearance, appear as prominent and visually obtrusive features within the street scene and reduce the effective width of the pavement and would therefore have significant adverse impact on the character and visual amenities of the surrounding area.

o   Boncara, 35 Templewood. A planning representation had been made regarding the basement and its impact on a nearby veteran tree.

o   Jack Straws Castle. A planning representation was submitted by the City Corporation regarding the impact of massing, traffic and parking.

o   Lido Temporary Fence. Members were advised that Camden had requested additional information concerning the City Corporation’s application for a temporary fence for three months per year for the Lido.

o   The Water House. The works have now completed.

o   The Garden House. The City Corporation has responded to the application concerning drainage concerns.

o   Jack Straws Castle. It was confirmed that

Report of the Director of Open Spaces.

Members considered a report of the Director of Open Spaces providing an update on the Hampstead Heath Ponds and Wetlands Plan.

Members were advised that a previous report was submitted in April 2018 providing a draft outline of the proposed approach to preparing this document. This was renamed the Ponds and Wetlands Plan and picked up the various pond management issues including desilting, ecological impacts and climate change.

The Superintendent sought wider discussion and engagement with Members on the draft Ponds and Wetland Plan and Members were encouraged to provide written comments by 2 November 2020. This feedback would be incorporated into the final strategy to be considered by the Hampstead Heath, Highgate Wood and Queen’s Park Committee in November.

The following comments were made by Members:

·         The Heath and Hampstead Society supported what they regarded to be a well written proposed strategy and felt that PR guidance would be beneficial.

·         A Member (Highgate Conservation Area Advisory Committee) felt that the safety of wild waterfowl should be prioritised noting there had been some incidents of attacks by dogs swimming in the ponds. Members agreed more could be done to protect wildlife and it was recommended that Wildfowl Legislation be used to assist rules concerning the proper control of dogs. It was noted that there was a code in place for dog walkers in place.

·         A Member (Marylebone Birdwatching Society) noted that dogs were swimming over to the Boating Pond island which needed to be protected. It was suggested that the southside path be fenced off, so visitors only used the path via the dam. Officers confirmed that there were aspirational plans to remove the walkway to the island and protect the natural conservation.

·         Injury to swans by angling was reported at the Sports Forum. Members were advised that the Ranger

Report of the Director of Open Spaces.

The Committee received a report of the Director of Open Spaces providing an update on the 2020 summer swimming season at Hampstead Heath which was impacted by Covid-19 and the commencement of the Winter Swimming Season. The following comments were made:

·         125k visitors have been swimming since the Swimming Ponds and Lido reopened all with social distancing.

·         The BBC filmed a positive story at the Lido concerning a cold-water cure for dementia.

·         A full review of the 2020 Summer Swimming Season would be presented to Members of the Management Committee in November 2020 followed by a report capturing the full year impact.  

·         In response to a query concerning the negative letter in Heath & Ham requesting the preservation of free open swimming, the Chair confirmed that the issues had been responded to and many were addressed within the review. It was highlighted that many lidos and open water venues had not reopened, and the City Corporation had worked hard to open its facilities and make them Covid secure.

·         A Member emphasized the very responsive Twitter swim feed. Members saw social media as a great tool to interact in time with users.

·         Officers responded to a query concerning unauthorised swimmers advising that this was a clear safety concern, and this was being deterred using extra signage and patrols.

·         It was noted the Serpentine Swimming Club had received 2,000 application requests which highlighted the increased popularity of open water swimming. It was acknowledged there would be a real knock-on effect on other open swim venues if there was no Heath Ponds.

·         A Member felt that emphasis needed to be made concerning how swimming at the Heath helped the health and wellbeing of its users and was also concerned by the lack of diversity of the respondents. Members agreed more work, particularly targeting BAME

Report of the Director of Open Spaces.

The Committee received a report of the Director of Open Spaces concerning the significant impact Covid-19 has had on the 2020 Hampstead Heath Events Programme and setting out the events currently scheduled for 2021, taking account of possible further impacts which could arise as a result of Covid-19.

Members were advised that only two events took place in 2020 as planned. The South of England Cross-Country Championships on 25 January 2020 was well attended with record numbers of participants in the youth event. Zippos Circus on 10-15 September 2020 was impacted heavily by the Government restrictions and ticket sales were very low.

It was hoped more events would be able to go ahead in 2021. Plans regarding the March National Cross Country Championships were struggling and the London Games and Park Run would like be impacted. Negotiations were ongoing concerning the day change for the Showman’s Guild and Affordable Art Fair (AAF). Members hoped these events could go ahead safely.

RESOLVED – That Members:

·         Provide feedback on the principle of the Showmen’s Guild of Great Britain extending the traditional Easter Fair as set out in paragraph 23;

·         Provide feedback on the principle of adding a second event after the Affordable Art Fair in April/May 2021;

·         Provide feedback on the proposed 2021 Events Programme (appendix 1).

Report of the Superintendent of Hampstead Heath.

Members considered a report of the Superintendent of Hampstead Heath providing an update on the proposed revised timeline for the tendering of the Parliament Hill Café, Parliament Hill Fields Lido Café and the Golders Hill Park Café.

Members were informed that the leases for the Parliament Hill Café, Parliament Hill Fields Lido Café and Golders Hill Café were due to expire on 12 January 2021. However, due to Covid-19 and the subsequent impact on Officer workload, the tenders for the cafés had been delayed.

Feedback was provided by the Golders Hill Park Café User Engagement who had concerns regarding the lease extension to the existing tenant which was not regarded as a long enough time period. They requested that this be extended by two years.

A Member (Representative of Clubs using facilities on the Heath) noted that the procurement exercise began in 2015 which was significant time ago. Officers confirmed that a decision was made after the 2015 exercise to take five years. The tender would have begun in 2020 but the impacts of Covid had delayed the process by a year. A new process would be used going forward which would include significant local engagement.

RESOLVED – That Members:

·         Provide feedback on the proposed revised timeline, as set out in paragraph 7;

·         Note the feedback and recommendations from the Golders Hill Park Café User Engagement - outcome report (appendix 1).

Report of the Superintendent of Hampstead Heath.

Members considered a report of the Superintendent of Hampstead Heath concerning the authorisation of Officers to issue Fixed Penalty Notices for byelaw offences and certain other offences under the City of London Corporation (Open Spaces) Act 2018.

Members approved the proposal to seek authority to set the amount of the fixed penalty pursuant to the Open Spaces Act 2018 for a relevant offence at £80, with a reduction to £50 if the penalty is paid within 10 days.

RESOLVED – That Members:-

·         Discuss the delegation of authority to the Director of Open Spaces and the Superintendent of Hampstead Heath, Highgate Wood, Queen’s Park to authorise officers to issue FPNs and require a name and address where there is reason to believe that a person has committed an offence, pursuant to the City of London Corporation (Open Spaces) Act 2018;

·         Discuss the amount of the fixed penalty for offences within Hampstead Heath, Highgate Wood and Queen’s Park in respect of which an FPN may be issued under the Open Spaces Act 2018 being set at £80.00 with a reduction to £50.00 if paid within 10 days.

Report of the Director of Open Spaces.

Members considered a report of the Director of Open Spaces setting out proposals received from the Dartmouth Park Neighbourhood Forum for additional tree and hedge planting across the Parliament Hill area of Hampstead Heath.

Three proposals were submitted by the Dartmouth Park Neighbourhood Forum (DPNF) for tree planting opportunities both along the eastern boundary of the Heath and along the Broad Walk. Two main options were offered by the Heath’s Tree Officer: 1) a formal approach including avenues and a natural approach including groups of trees or 2) the planting of groups of trees in clusters of three’s, five’s and seven’s along the Broad walk. Members saw this as a good opportunity to contribute to increasing carbon capture and biodiversity for the area.

A Member (Hampstead Rugby Club) supported the tree planting but was concerned that planting in the area shown in Figures 2 and 3 would impact leisure and recreation was the area was currently being used as an overspill area for clubs and schools, e.g. school PE classes, football and quidditch games.  

Officers confirmed that the Figures provided reflected the eventual size of the trees after 50+ years when they had increased in size. It was agreed that both could co-exist, and the trees could be positioned to not interfere with the recreational use of the area.

The Superintendent advised that the next steps were to include plans to the AWP for next year on a phased approach. It was noted that there was a sponsorship opportunity to plant trees at a cost £335 per tree.

RESOLVED – That Members:-

·         Provide feedback on the options set out;

·         Provide views on the two options linked to Project 17, as outlined in paragraph 19.

Report of the Superintendent of Hampstead Heath (TO FOLLOW).

Members considered a report of the Superintendent of Hampstead Heath providing Members with an update regarding the introduction of a Code of Conduct for Dog Walkers and a Licensing Scheme for Professional Dog Walkers to regulate this commercial activity using the powers available through the City of London Corporation (Open Spaces) Act 2018. The Superintendent now seeks wider discussion and engagement with Members on the draft Dog Walkers Code of Conduct, Professional Dog Walker Application Form and accompanying Terms & Conditions. 

The Chair thanked Members for their feedback throughout development of the scheme which hit the news this week. Members were advised that their feedback would be included in the final versions of these documents for consideration by the Hampstead Heath, Highgate Wood and Queen’s Park Committee at their November meeting. Following approval, the licences would be implemented and go live in April 2021.

A Member (London Council for Recreation and Sport) noted that there was nothing regarding the number of times a dog walker could come onto the land per session. Officers confirmed the finer detail of the terms and conditions would be presented to the HHMC including the implications of the am/pm session and how this impacted dog walkers and their income. Members regarded four to be a sensible number.

A Member (Hampstead Conservation Area Advisory Committee) queried why the low limit of 20 licences had been set. Members were advised that 20 licences equated to 800 professional dogs per day whereas 30 licences would be 1,200 professional dogs. The decision was made to start smaller on the side of caution and increase if appropriate.

A Member (Hampstead Garden Suburb Residents' Association) recommended that wording be included in the Code to state that dogs should be kept on leads in all sports areas.

In response to a query with

Oral update from Heath Hands.

The Committee noted a report from Heath Hands providing Members with the volunteering highlights since volunteer programmes began a phased reintroduction from mid-June.

Members were advised that it had been a successful year despite the impact of Covid-19 and £30k was raised for Heath Hands services. Significant interest from volunteers had been received but the reduced groups in light of Government guidelines meant that, for now, new volunteers could not be taken on.  

The Chair gave thanks to all Heath Hands volunteers for their continued hard work and support.

A Member (London Council for Recreation and Sport) questioned why more volunteers could not be taken on to work in more groups of six across sites as this was great for people’s health and wellbeing. Member were advised that projects were slowing being reintroduced and it was hoped more volunteers could be brought in over time.

The Heath & Hampstead Society to be heard.

The Committee noted the proposal submitted by the Heath & Hampstead Society for Nature Appreciation Display Boards on Hampstead Heath to celebrate the 150^th Anniversary of the 1871 Act. The following comments were made:

·         The Chair encouraged a broader discussion on how the 150^th anniversary of the 1871 Act could be celebrated noting that only smaller events were likely to be possible during Covid. The Chair felt this was an opportunity for the broader story of the 1871 City Corporation movement for the Heath’s protection to be told.

·         The Heath & Hampstead Society were pleased by the positive response to its proposals for special display boards providing information about the Heath’s natural history and protection and welcomed further ideas. It was noted that English Heritage also supported the idea and were in discussion with the society.

·         A Member (South End Green Association) suggested including quality bird sounds via QR codes to an app next to pictures on the display boards. Members agreed an interactive board would make it more special.

·         A Member (London Council for Recreation and Sport) highlighted the already strained budgets at the Heath and voiced caution against expensive celebrations. It was suggested that fundraising opportunities be explored to celebrate the anniversary.

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RESOLVED - With two hours having elapsed since the start of the meeting, in accordance with Standing Order No. 40 the Committee agreed at this point to extend the meeting by up to thirty minutes.

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·         A Member (Marylebone Birdwatching Society) supported the proposal and suggested including information about flowers and butterflies.

·         A Member (Highgate Society) remarked that only a limited amount of information could be presented on a board and considered a larger permanent display shown in an information centre plus a booklet/leaflet to be more informative. The Deputy Chairman added that this

Storage

A Member (Dartmouth Park Conservation Area Advisory Committee) enquired if the old Victorian gate and sign previously on Parliament Hill was still in storage and if there was an opportunity to bring them back to the Heath or be offered to a museum. The Superintendent confirmed that they were still in storage and there was an opportunity to explore reintroducing them when the tennis hut was removed.

There was none.

The date of the next meeting is 25 January 2021.

The date of the next meeting on 25 January 2021 was noted.