Agenda item

To receive the draft minutes of the Hampstead Heath, Highgate Wood & Queen's Park Committee meeting held on 9 February and 4 May 2022.

Members noted the draft minutes of the Hampstead Heath, Highgate Wood & Queen's Park Committee meeting held on 4 May 2022.

Matters arising:

A Member (London Council for Sport and Recreation) expressed their concern that any delays to the developments being carried out on the Parliament Hill Athletics Track would risk the loss of the entire 2024 athletics season. They asked if the timetable could be moved forward by a couple of months to allow more flexibility. They also suggested that it would be helpful if the works were seen as cyclical maintenance, or have a reserve fund developed, rather than having it return as a major project each time. Officers replied that this was a valid point to allow for more preventative maintenance, rather than reactive, but there was a limited budget for assets and infrastructure. The Assistant Director said that the upcoming investment in the athletics track would hopefully allow for better resilience in the future. The Member said it could be part of a corporate or sinking fund, and would welcome a report back to the Committee on this topic. In reply, an Officer said that the Gateway 2 Report was going to the Operational Property and Projects Sub Committee for approval on Monday 30 May. This was the final step in drawing down the funds for the project. Once this approved, officers would consult with the City Surveyor’s Department on procuring the design team and reviewing the programme. A Member (Representative of Clubs using facilities on the Heath) said that the Representatives were a distance away from understanding the procurement timetable and programme of works, and that once out to tender contractors might come back with their own preferences. They agreed that it was vital to avoid losing the athletics season and that once there was greater clarity on the project, they would welcome further discussions on how to minimise disruption.