Agenda item

Report of the Superintendent of Hampstead Heath (copy attached)

A report of the Superintendent of Hampstead Heath providing an update on management and enhancement matters that had taken place in Queen’s Park since the last meeting in November 2011, was considered. The Queen’s Park Manager guided the Group through the report and during the discussion, the following was noted:

Sport and Recreation

·       The Queen’s Park Manager advised that leaflets would be produced to advertise various events, including Sunday walks, ping-pong, football and general exercise.

·       The Queen’s Park Farm currently received approximately 170,000 visits per annum and the Play Area received approximately 235,000 visits per annum. In response to a Member’s query, the Queen’s Park Manager advised that these figures were comparable to the number of visits to similar sites across London and undertook to report these figures to a future meeting.

·       In response to a Member’s query, the Queen’s Park Manager advised that tennis coaching would continue in the winter. Furthermore, the ping pong tables currently in Queen’s Park would be placed in the tennis courts over winter and continue to be available for use.

·       There had recently been an outdoor film screening in the park, which unfortunately had a low turnout due to poor weather. Three further screenings were scheduled for the summer.

·       In response to a Member’s query, the Queen’s Park Manager clarified that both primary and junior schools used the park for sports day events. There was no charge for local schools’ use of the park to hold. Requests were managed on a first-come first-served basis and it had not been necessary to reject any bookings so far.

Conservation and Heritage

·      Officers were currently progressing the tender process for the Queen’s Park Conservation Management Plan. An update would be provided at the next Group meeting.

Landscape Management

·      Due to recent weather conditions, a Lime tree had recently fallen near the Queen’s Park Café.

·      In response to a Member’s query, the Queen’s Park Manager advised that the possibility of offering pitch and putt users a wedge instead of a 7 iron would be investigated.

Management

·       In response to a Member’s query, the Queen’s Park Manager advised that the reduction in staff would mean the shift pattern and rota would be amended. The winter workload was low as compared with the summer. During the summer seasonal staff would be employed when necessary. The Queen’s Park Manager clarified that it was not anticipated that compulsory redundancies would be necessary and he expressed that he believed all objectives would remain achievable.

Temporary Hosepipe Ban

·      In response to a Member’s query, the Queen’s Park Manager advised that due to recent weather conditions the water tank was reasonably full, but currently remained unlikely to overflow. Members noted that the hosepipe ban was scheduled to be lifted on 14 June 2012.

Visitor and Community

·      A byelaw road show would be held in the future in order to better inform park visitors and users,. three events would be held over three days. In response to a Member’s query, the Queen’s Park Manager advised that they had not previously approached the local press regarding similar events, but they would consider doing so on this occasion.

·      In response to a Member’s query, the Queen’s Park Manager advised that assisted cycling for young children would be permitted as long as the assisting adult was personally not cycling.

Queen’s Park Café

·      In response to a Member’s query, the Queen’s Park Manager clarified that the Hampstead Heath, Highgate Wood & Queen’s Park Committee had unanimously decided not to tender the Queen’s Park café lease. This was largely because surveys had indicated that visitors were generally satisfied with the services and standards of the café and concerns regarding the standard of the toilets had been resolved over the previous eighteen months. The Chairman advised that the toilets were managed by the City and were not the responsibility of the Queen’s Park Café management.

·      In response to concerns expressed by several Members of QPARA, the Chairman advised that there had been a history of leaseholders regularly moving on after only a short period of time and the City was concerned the building could become unoccupied. The Chairman had read all comments listed in the online petition regarding the future of the café and believed the Superintendent of Hampstead Heath was taking measures to ensure these concerns were addressed.

Representation on the Joint Consultative Group

·      The Group responded favourably to a Member’s suggestion that it may be beneficial to have a representative from “One Voice Community,” a local group which represented disabled people, on the Queen’s Park Joint Consultative Group. The Queen’s Park Manager undertook to investigate this possibility.

·      The Queen’s Park Manager advised that a further consultation would take place before any additional Members were invited to sit on the Queen’s Park Joint Consultative Group.

RECEIVED