Agenda item

To receive the report of the Director of Open Spaces.

The Committee were provided with an important insight into the current state of

Parks in the UK. Members noted the key findings and considered the

issues that were particular relevant to the City of London; both in managing

green spaces across London and in supporting the wider green space agenda

across London.

The Committee considered the five HLF challenges from two perspectives;

firstly, as the authority responsible for the green spaces in the Square Mile

and secondly, as the provider of strategic green space across London. The five challenges were:

1.     Local authority commitment

2.     New partnerships

3.     Getting communities more involved

4.     Collecting and sharing data

5.     New finance models and rethinking delivery

Members noted that the number of Friends and user groups had increased by 30%

in the last three years and membership by 47%. There were some 5,000

groups across the UK raising a significant £30million each year. Members agreed that partnership working was very important to the directorate, as a number of the City owned parks, gardens, forests and heaths were located outside of the Square Mile and within other local authorities.

Discussions ensued regarding the review of the Open Spaces strategy in line with the Service Based Reviews. The Director informed Members that further information regarding the outcome of the Service Based Review would be available in the autumn of this year.

The Director informed Members that a paper regarding infrastructure in London was due to be published by the Mayor’s Office by the end of July, and the Director would respond to this paper.

In response to a query, Officers agreed to circulate the State of UK Parks report to Members of all Open Space related Committees for their consideration.

Resolved:

·        That Members nominated the Chairman of the Open Spaces and City Gardens Committee to act as the Park Champion.

·        The Officers recommend that the Hampstead Heath Committee and West Ham Park Committee appoint their respective Park Champions

·        That Officers circulate the report to all Open Space Committees.