Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Wendy Mead, Richard Gurney, Rev’d Canon Alex Summers and Robert Cazenove.

There were no declarations recived.

To agree the draft public minutes and non-public summary of the previous meeting of the West Ham Park Committee held on the 3^rd  of February 2020.

The Committee considered the public minutes and non-public summary of the meeting of the West Ham Park Committee meeting held on the 3^rd of February 2020.

RESOLVED- That public minutes of the meeting of the West Ham Park Committee meeting held on the 3rd of February 2020 be approved as an accurate record.

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Committee considered the report of the Town Clerk on the West Ham Park Committee’s Terms of Reference. The Town Clerk explained that as part of the post-implementation review of the changes made to the City Corporation’s governance arrangements in 2011 Committees are required to review their terms of reference annually. It was explained that two changes to the Committee’s Terms of Reference were recommended; updating the details of London Borough of Newham representatives and removing the reference to ‘the management of a Nursery’ to reflect the fact that the nursery is no longer in operation.

A member of the Committee expressed concern regarding the removal of the reference to the management of a Nursery and stated that the alternative wording ‘management of a disused Nursey’ should be considered. The Chairman replied that the Committee’s Terms of Reference needed to accurately reflect the responsibilities of the Committee therefore, as there was not an operational nursey in West Ham Park, the change was appropriate. The Deputy Chairman commented that it was important to have clarity in the Committee’s Terms of Reference which the replacement of the existing text with wording on the management of a former nursey would not achieve. In addition, a Member observed that the Terms of Reference did not individually list all assets under the Committee’s responsibility and therefore specifying the management of a disused Nursey site was not required.

A Member clarified that the proposed change would not remove the former Nursey land from the Committee’s responsibility. Replying to this a Member observed that the Terms of Reference made clear that the West Ham Park Committee had continued responsibility for the totality of the Park, including the former Nursey site. A member of the Committee expressed that they were still concerned that the removal of the

Report of the Director of Open Spaces.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Open Spaces on the Open Spaces Department, City Gardens and West Ham Park Risk Management. The Director of Open Spaces introduced the report and invited questions from the Committee.

Replying to a query from a Member of the Committee regarding the West Ham Park Nursery Project, the Director of Open Spaces explained that the Comptroller and City Solicitor wrote to Charity Commission to confirm particular details of the 1874 West Ham Park Conveyance with regard to the progression of works at the former Nursery site and would be working on responses to the questions received from the Charity Commission. In addition it was noted that the Comptroller and City Solicitor had, following the Charity Commission’s recommendation, obtained outside counsel views on specific details of the 1874 West Ham Park Conveyance and 1981 Charity Scheme with a report expected by the end of the week of the 13^th of July. The Chairman requested that a report on this matter be received by the Committee at its meeting October.

The Committee discussed the impact of the COVID19 pandemic on the management of West Ham Park noting particularly the context of the London Borough of Newham as one of the boroughs worst affected by the pandemic. The Director of Open Spaces confirmed that the significant impact of COVID19 had been reflected in its classification as a red risk on the Risk Register. The Committee recorded its thanks to all staff and volunteers involved in the management of West Ham Park for providing a vital service to people of the London Borough of Newham in a deeply challenging time. The Chairman commented that options for an event to appropriately recognise this contribution would be explored. The Director of Open Spaces thanked the Committee and

There were no questions received in the public session.

There was no urgent items considered in the public session.

RESOLVED: 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.

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To agree the draft non-public minutes of the previous meeting of the West Ham Park Committee held on the 3^rd of February 2020.

The Committee considered the non-public minutes of the meeting of the West Ham Park Committee meeting held on the 3^rd of February 2020.

RESOLVED- That non-public minutes of the meeting of the West Ham Park Committee meeting held on the 3rd of February 2020 be approved as an accurate record.

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

There was one item of urgent business received in the non-public session.