Agenda item

The Superintendent to be heard.

The Committee received a verbal update from the Superintendent of West Ham Park & City Gardens relative to City Gardens matters. The following points were made:

·       A Committee visit to the City Gardens had taken place on 20 July, which had allowed the Committee to review the ongoing CrossRail construction works in Moorgate.

·       There was currently a 7% overspend due to the recent influx of Massaria into the City and Olympic spending. This would be covered by a carry forward from the 2011/12 budget and additional funding from the Olympic Centre.

·       Louisa Allen, the new City Gardens Manager, would start her new role on 30 July.

·       Olympic Planting was now complete however, as with several other items of ‘Look & Feel,’ quality had been an issue. Olympics Street dressing was due to be completed on 24 July 2012. 6 foot Olympic mascots were in place, which had proven very popular. 40 foot inflatable mascots would appear on the lawns at St Paul’s and Moorgate at various times over the summer.

·       The flame would visit the City on Thursday 26 July. The City’s biggest Olympic risks continued to be litter and transport.  During the Olympic period, the City Gardens team would report to the City of London Olympic Coordination Centre twice each day in order to highlight any ongoing issues or successes. To ensure that departments could help best use the resources available by teaming with the Environmental services section, a great deal of planning has gone into staff timetables. All key dates and activities were on the Olympic pages of the City’s website.

·       A visit from the All Party Parliamentary Horticulture Group had recently been received.

·       A visit from the Bishopsgate Ward Club was scheduled for 24 July 2012.

RECEIVED