Agenda item

Report of the Director of Open Spaces.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Open Spaces on the Churchyard Enhancement Programme (CEP). The Director provided context on the project and explained the work which had been previously undertaken.

A Member raised that learning was not mentioned in the report and questioned whether this could be included in the CEP. The Director of Open Spaces explained that learning was one of the cross-cutting work streams within the CEP programme and opportunities such as oral history projects would be explored as project funding became available.

Replying to a Member’s question on the Diocese of London involvement in the CEP the Director informed the Committee that the officer from the Diocese with whom the City of London Corporation had been liaising was about to leave that organisation. In addition, it was confirmed that the City of London Corporation would be in contact with the new officer and Members would be informed of any updates.

Clarification on the details present in Table D of the report was requested by a Member who suggested that the figures did not provide a complete reflection of the funding position. The Director of Open Spaces confirmed that Table D provided a list of the relevant Community Infrastructure Levy funds potentially available. The Member replied that it would be helpful for an extra column be added to Table D to make clear the extent of the CIL funding sources which was not yet allocated to a specific project.

RESOLVED- That: -

       I.        The Churchyards Enhancement Programme noting progress to date be approved; and

     II.         That the project briefs for the 9 priority churchyards (proposed aspirational projects) be approved; and

    III.        That the status of the 2 existing churchyard improvement projects be noted; and

   IV.        That the small- medium scale outline project ideas for 10 churchyard improvement projects and cross cutting work stream be approved; and

     V.        That the Committee Approved, in principle, the delivery of the churchyard improvements on a project by project basis, subject to available funding, to be progressed through the City’s Project Procedure as appropriate.