Agenda item

The Superintendent to be heard.

The Committee received a verbal update from the City Gardens Manager. The following points were made:

Finance

·                the budget is showing an overspend for this time of year, due to a number of high expenditure items and an expensive year due to the Olympics, however a number of internal and external recharges are due that will balance the books

Works update

·                the team have been undertaking a comprehensive winter work programme.  Works have included the conversion of 15 annual bedding areas into more sustainable beds, these have been completed;

·                as part of the 2^nd year of the Green Corridors project a further 19 trees are to be planted in February with a potential for another 5 in March

User Survey

·                ASK, a market research company have completed their user survey – to find out residents, City workers and visitors opinions and views of City Gardens.  The report is eminent and will be reported at an Open Spaces Committee meeting and the findings used for the next Open Spaces strategy.

Volunteering and Friends of City Gardens

·                A couple of volunteers who regularly volunteer in City Gardens are interested in forming the Friends of City Gardens  With our support, they are in the process of finalising a constitution, associated policies and insurances, and plan to launch formerly in September with an event.

In the meantime, the ‘shadow friends’ are planning with support from us a number of volunteer sessions

·           They are planting 12 dwarf stock fruit trees, a mix of damson, apple, pear in the planters located on the Golden Lane Estate open space.  The fruit trees have been paid for from a successful Capital Growth application fund.

·           On 22^nd March, 450 native whips have been won from a successful application made by the friends, to the Woodland Trust – they will be planted in Bunhill Fields to create a native hedge – with volunteers from a regeneration charity based in Bow in the east end of London undertaking back to work horticultural training

·           On 13^th March – co-operate volunteers are going to transfer some shady grass into  a woodland meadow in Bunhill Fields by preparing a strip of grass and planting woodland seed with interpretation for people to do themselves.

Middlesex Estate Gardening Club

·                A new volunteer gardening group has just formed with residents from the Middlesex Estate wishing to make a difference and care for their podium gardens.  The City Gardens team will provide a gardener once a week, paid for from resident’s service charge.  The Group are running a recruitment and induction day on 8^th March and the project will start on 4^th April.

London and Britain in Bloom

·                The City’s applications to the RHS London in Bloom and Britain in Bloom campaigns have been submitted.  Judging will take place in July and August; this year’s theme is edibles.  The team plan to convert one of the traditional bedding beds in St Botolph Bishopsgate into a decorative vegetable plot with interpretation.  The annual bedding schemes generally have been chosen for their nectar rich properties to support wildlife and the campaigns; we are going for Gold….