Agenda item

Report of the Superintendent of Hampstead Heath.

The Group received a report of the Superintendent of Hampstead Heath that provided an update on the operational work and accomplishments of the Queen’s Park Team since November 2015. Members noted and considered the following matters:

Staffing

·         Proposals for changes to staff working arrangements would be report to the Establishment and Hampstead Heath, Highgate Wood & Queen’s Park Committees in July 2016.

·         Staff across the North London Open Spaces Division currently worked flexibly across all three sites and permanent full-time staff at the Park were supplemented by a number of casual staff throughout spring and summer.

·         There were eight full-time equivalent staff positions, including one permanent post that was currently being covered by a casual member of staff.

·         In response to a member’s (Queen’s Park Area Residents’ Association) concerns regarding recent perceived staff shortages at the children’s play area swimming pool, the Park Manager advised that signage had been installed by the pool notifying visitors of who to contact if it was closed.

Operational Management

·         The pentanque area had recently been replaced by new trim trail equipment.

·         The London Borough of Brent had funding available for additional equipment and the Group requested that any additional new equipment had a more natural timber look to it so long as the LBB were able to provide funding for maintenance of such equipment.

·         The Group also noted that there were a number of outdoor gyms at nearby parks so any new equipment at Queen’s Park should be limited in number and similar to the current trim trail equipment, as opposed to moving gym equipment.

·         The Deputy Chairman suggested a new, perhaps more child-friendly design for the donation box in the Children’s Farm to encourage more donations from young people.

·         In response to a question from the Deputy Chairman regarding health and safety reporting following a recent incident, the Park Manager advised that training would be provided to casual staff as a reminder of how to respond to reports of anti-social behaviour – the Superintendent added that the incident in question would be reviewed and learning outcomes would be applied in future.

Visitors and Community

·         The Queen’s Park Area Residents’ Association held a successful Open Gardens and Studios event on 19 June 2016.

·         Positive feedback had been received from visitors regarding the recent introduction of Heath Constabulary Officers to the Park.

·         An online visitor survey seeking views on events in the park was currently available on the website and via Twitter.

·         The Group considered the proposals for an all-day fireworks event on 5 November 2016, which aimed to attract approx. 10,000 visitors:-

·         Following concerns surrounding the event’s impact on the green space, the scale of the event and the desire for a more community-led event aimed at regular visitors to the Park, the Group agreed to decline the request for an event licence and await the outcome of feedback from the events survey to consider this as a future event for 2017 at the earliest.

·         The Group also noted that a smaller scale community-led event could involve donation collections to cover the cost of the firework display and would cause less damage to the Park.

RESOLVED – That:-

a)    The Superintendent’s update report be noted; and

b)    the request for a licence for the fireworks display be declined, awaiting the outcome of feedback from the Event Survey to consider this as a future event.