Agenda item

Report of the Superintendent of Hampstead Heath.

 

Members considered a report of the Superintendent providing an update on matters concerning Hampstead Heath, Highgate Wood and Queen’s Park. The following points were made.

 

Cycling

 

• The Superintendent advised Members that he had received a petition with 146 signatures to extend cycle lanes north to south to promote accessibility to the Ladies’ Pond. The Superintendent sought support from Members for adopting the current stance that no changes are planned for shared-use paths as Policy until a review is carried out as part of the mid-term review of the 2018 Management Plan.

 

• Members discussed what the criteria would be for change, e.g. if TFL made changes to the highways adjacent to the Heath. Members agreed that no new cycle routes would be created under the current policy and supported the decision to review the policy as part of the mid-term review of the 2018 Management Plan in 2023/24.

 

Cafés

 

Parliament Hill & Golders Hill Park Café

·         The Superintendent noted that the Parliament Hill & Golders Hill Park Café negotiations had concluded, and that the leases would expire in January 2021.

 

Parliament Hill Fields Lido Café

·         Members were advised that the lease with Hoxton Beach at the Parliament Hill Fields Lido Café had expired and the Superintendent sought Member’s agreement for the City Surveyors Department to negotiate a new three-year lease with Hoxton Beach.

 

·         A Member questioned whether the negotiations for the café leases should be put on hold until the Open Spaces Bill is passed as this would give the City opportunity to consider a longer lease. The Director of Open Spaces agreed that the Act would indeed help with future negotiations but felt that it was important to complete the current tendering agreement without delay.

 

·         A Member queried why the terms of the lease had changed from base and turnover (top – up) rent to a base rent only agreement as the former appeared to be more beneficial. Members were advised that it was mutually beneficial for the leaseholders to develop their businesses and for the City Corporation the base rent provided a more reliable in income stream.

 

·         Members agreed the City Surveyors Department to negotiate a new three-year lease with Hoxton Beach.

 

Café Working Party

• Members were advised that a request had been made by the Cafés Campaign Team for representation on the HHCC.

 

·         The Chairman and Deputy Chairman updated Members on the discussions that took place at the HHCC meeting in January. The HHCC were particularly concerned that the representative would not represent all five cafés, but only one café.

 

·         The Town Clerk advised Members that the composition of the HHCC is governed by Article 9 and Schedule 4 of The London Government Reorganisation (Hampstead Heath) Order 1989. Whilst the City may make appointments to the Consultative Committee in addition to the 20 Members described in Schedule 4, who represent particular specified interests, the City is under no obligation to do so. In making any additional appointments, the City would apply two tests: does a demonstrable gap exist in representation on the HHCC? If so, does the candidate in question fill that gap?

 

·         The HHHWQPC reviewed the overall membership of the Consultative Committee and considered whether cafés and café users in general were currently under-represented. The Committee agreed that there was already adequate representation for cafés and café users on the HHCC provided by the four members of the HHCC who sit on the Café Working Party.

 

• Members took into account the views expressed by the HHCC in January and decided not to approve the request from the Cafés Campaign Team, for a representative to join the HHCC.

 

·         A Member highlighted the important difference between interest groups and commercial interest groups and encouraged Members to be alert of this when considering future applications.

 

·         A Member raised a concern that people with physical disabilities were under represented on the HHCC/Open Spaces Committees. The Chairman noted that Mencap were very involved providing advice to the Committee(s) but agreed this was on a mental health capacity as opposed to physical disabilities. Members agreed other groups/organisations should be approached to ensure Hampstead Heath is more representative of all types of disabilities. The Superintendent agreed to work with the Town Clerk’s Office to identify potential organisations which could provide representatives to represent people with physical disabilities on the HHCC. Other groups, e.g. young people, should also be considered within the 2018 Management Plan.

 

Planning

 

·         The Water House, Millfield Lane. The Superintendent noted that this planning application is yet to be determined.

 

·         Parliament Hill Lido Gospel Oak 2017/5886/P. Planning permission has been granted for installation of solar panels on the roof of the Parliament Hill Lido Building. A Member asked how the decision to install solar panels had been made. Members were advised that the Lido had high energy bills and that funding of this project had come from the sale of fleet and machinery.

 

Trees

 

·         The Superintendent advised that storms and extreme weather in January, most notably Storm Eleanor, had caused damage throughout Hampstead Heath and Highgate Wood and led to closures of Golders Hill Park and the Hill Garden on 3-4 January in compliance with the Division’s Extreme Weather Event Protocol.

 

Constabulary

 

·         The Superintendent highlighted the significant work that went into managing the crowds that gather on Parliament Hill on New Year’s Eve to watch the fireworks across the City and advised that there were no issues to report.

 

·         The Superintendent noted there have been three recent prosecutions against dog walkers.

 

City Surveyors Cyclical Work Programme

 

• The Superintendent advised Members that projects were now underway, including installation of fencing at South End Green; desilting of the Mixed Bathing Pond; refurbishment of the showers and redecoration of the changing rooms at the Athletics Track; and safety work on the timbers along the main walkway at the Pergola.

 

Avian Influenza

 

·         The Superintendent noted concerns regarding Avian Influenza. Measures have been put in place at the Golders Hill Park Zoo and the Queen’s Park Children’s Farm.

 

Swimming

 

·         The Superintendent advised Members that the next Swimming Forum would take place on 6 March 2018. 

 

·         The Superintendent noted that the Kenwood Ladies’ Pond has frozen over on several occasions and therefore swimmers have been allowed to use the Men’s Pond which had not frozen.

 

·         The Superintendent updated Members on recent press interest regarding the City Corporation’s policy to allow transgender women to use the Ladies’ Pond. He reiterated City of London’s position of inclusivity, which he noted was supported by the Kenwood Ladies’ Pond Association (KLPA) who supported the City Corporation’s position.

 

Highgate Wood

 

·         Members were advised that the Highgate Wood Community Heritage Day would take place on 2 September 2018.

 

Queen’s Park

 

·         The Superintendent noted that a CCTV survey has been carried out to investigate the cause of movement in the flooring in the Play Area Toilets and Officers are awaiting the outcomes. The Chairman requested a report be presented at the next meeting of the Queen’s Park Consultative Group (QPCG) and recommended that an email update be sent to the Members of the QPCG.

 

·         The Superintendent was pleased to advise Members that the Urban Leisure Group have been awarded a three-year lease to operate at the Queen’s Park Café, and that they started trading on 3 February 2018.

 

RESOLVED -

 

·         Members agreed the proposed policy on cycling as set out in paragraph 4;

 

·         Members agreed that the request to add a path north to south be deferred, and considered as part of the mid-term review of the 2018 Management Plan in 2023/24;

 

·         Members agreed the City Surveyors Department negotiate a new lease for the Parliament Hill Fields Lido Café with Hoxton Beach, to expire in January 2021;

 

·         Members considered, but did not approve, the proposal made by the Café Campaign Team outlined in paragraphs 13-14;

 

·         The Superintendent agreed to work with the Town Clerk to identify a representative for those with a physical disability.