Agenda, decisions and minutes

The committee is asked to elect the Chair and Vice Chair of the committee for the 2018/19 municipal year.  

RESOLVED:

i)     That Councillor McLennan be elected Chair of the committee for the 2018/19 Municipal Year;

ii)    That Councillor Krupa Sheth be elected Vice Chair of the committee for the 2018/19 Municipal Year.

RESOLVED:

i)     That Councillor McLennan be elected Chair of the committee for the 2018/19 Municipal Year;

ii)    That Councillor Krupa Sheth be elected Vice Chair of the committee for the 2018/19 Municipal Year.

For the Committee to note any apologies for absence.

There were no apologies for absence.

Members are invited to declare at this stage of the meeting, the nature and existence of any relevant disclosable pecuniary, personal or prejudicial interests in the items on this agenda and to specify the item(s) to which they relate.

None declared.

To approve the minutes of the previous meeting as a correct record.

RESOLVED: that the minutes of the previous meeting held on 7 March 2018 be approved as a correct record.

RESOLVED: that the minutes of the previous meeting held on 7 March 2018 be agreed as an accurate record of the meeting.

To consider any matters arising from the minutes of the previous meeting.

There were no matters arising.

This report presents the annual report for the Barham Park Trust for 2017/18.  There is a statutory requirement to produce an Annual Report, including the Accounts each financial year.

RESOLVED:

i)     That the Annual Report and Accounts for 2017/18 be approved;

ii)    That the Independent Review of the Accounts be noted;

iii)   That officers update the Charity Commission with the Annual Report and Accounts for 2017/18.

Minesh Patel (Head of Finance) introduced the 2017/18 Annual Report  for the Barham Park Trust, which set out the annual accounts and summarised the work undertaken on behalf of the Trust during this period. The annual accounts had been subject to review by an independent examiner. The report of the Independent Examiner, attached as an appendix to the annual report, confirmed that there were no issues of concern regarding the accounts. Providing an overview of the accounts, Minesh Patel advised that the Trust had incurred expenditure of £99,085 during 2017/15 on the refurbishment of the building complex and the park. Over the same period, the Trust  had generated £99,918 receipts from rental income and interest earned, which led to the cash balance of the Trust increasing by £833 to total £465,157. Members were advised that general expenditure on the running and maintenance of the park and buildings had increased by £18,932 compared to 2016/17 and income had increased by £12,526.

The committee discussed the report and thanked officers for the work undertaken during 2017/18.

RESOLVED:

i)     That the Annual Report and Accounts for 2017/18 be approved;

ii)    That the Independent Review of the Accounts be noted;

iii)   That officers update the Charity Commission with the Annual Report and Accounts for 2017/18.

To update Members on operational issues at Barham Park and on current progress on projects.  

RESOLVED: that the issues detailed in the General Update Report be noted.

Leslie Williams (Barham Park Project Officer) introduced the report which provided an update on the operational issues at Barham Park, including an overview of project activity. Highlighting some of the longer term issues for the Park, Leslie Williams explained that the Barham Park building required considerable work to the exterior including the replacement  of windows, window frames, doors and skylights/canopies. The building was locally listed and therefore any works affecting its external appearance would require planning permission. An architect would be appointed  to prepare a design/schedule of works to support a planning application. Members were further advised that a number of improvements were required to the park and gardens. A successful grant application had been made to the Brent Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy funding for the restoration of the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Gardens. The hard standing area in front of the Borough War Memorial required re-surfacing and officers were currently investigating repair options. The committee was advised that improvements were also required to the Events Field drainage and the consent of Thames Water would be required prior to the commencement of works as the connection would be to the public surface water system. In concluding his introduction, Leslie Williams drew the committee’s attention to paragraph 5 of the report which set out the anticipated costs of the required improvement works, noting that the work to the building exterior could be packaged to reflect priorities.

In the subsequent discussion, the committee expressed that any works to the hard standing in front of the War Memorial needed to be completed before Armistice Day. If it was not possible to complete these works prior to this time, members directed that they be undertaken afterwards.

The committee then sought comment on the planned removal of some of the park’s trees, anti-social behaviour and the use of Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs) in the park.

In response, Leslie Williams advised that some trees in the park would need to be felled but for others it would be possible to just reduce the size of the trees. Planting of new trees was being explored as part of the improvement works to the parks and gardens. It might be expedient to remove some of the trees that were situated close to the building to reduce any future risk to the premises and to restore the vantage of the park. Chris Whyte (Operational Director, Environmental Services) advised that the PSPOs were a new enforcement approach implemented across Brent’s parks and had enabled enforcement officers to tackle anti-social behaviour in new ways.

The Chair thanked the officers for their contribution to the meeting and requested that future update reports include an overview of anti-social behaviour in the park.

RESOLVED: that the issues detailed in the General Update Report be noted.

Notice of items to be raised under this heading must be given in writing to the Head of Executive and Member Services or his representative before the meeting. Any decisions taken urgently under this heading must comply with the provisions outlined in paragraph 39 of the Council’s Access to Information Rules (part 2 of the Constitution).

None.