Agenda item

To provide an update to the Committee in relation to Council activities during Quarter 1 (Apr-June 2023) in respect of the Welsh Harp / West Hendon Playing Fields.

Cassie Bridger (Assistant Director, Greenspaces and Leisure, Barnet Council) presented the report, which provided an update to the Committee on the activities of Barnet Council during Quarter 1 (Apr-June 2023) in relation to the Welsh Harp and West Hendon Playing Fields.

In highlighting the key details of the report, the Committee were informed that Barnet Council had concluded a procurement exercise and awarded the contract to develop a new Parks and Open Spaces Strategy and a Local Nature Recovery Plan (LNRP had replaced Biodiversity Action Plans) to Land Use Consultants (LUC). Although Barnet Council were in the early stages of the commission, members were advised that there would be opportunities to contribute to the development of the documents through public consultations and engagement exercises.

Similarly, following the conclusion of the two stage design competition in partnership with the Landscape Institute, Barnet Council had awarded the contract to design the development of West Hendon Playing Fields to Ove Arup and Partners. Once again, the Committee were informed that a series of consultation and engagement activities, likely to be held in Autumn, would be delivered to help inform the design development for the playing fields.

Furthermore, members also noted that Barnet Council’s Community Safety Team had been commissioned to deliver weekend patrols in a number of parks and open spaces over the summer period. It was explained that the patrols were intelligence led and based on known issues and reporting, with the Welsh Harp and West Hendon Playing Fields included in the patrol sites.

In welcoming further support from community groups regarding litter picking, Cassie Bridger detailed that contract litter pickers swept Welsh Harp during the week commencing 3 July 2023. In addition, the burnt-out car adjacent to the West Hendon Playing Fields was removed. It was stated that Barnet Council would arrange another contractor litter sweep in the winter when annual soft vegetation had subsided, and contact would be made with Natural England concerning dead hedging to mitigate bankside litter around the Silkstream trash screen.

To conclude their update, Cassie Bridger explained that, as members of the Thames21 Brent Catchment Partnership Steering Group, Barnet Council had approved the establishment of the following working groups:

·       Data, Evidence and Monitoring

·       Invasive Non-Native Species Control

·       Eradication of Litter

Moreover, it was explained that Barnet Council would attend regular meetings with working group members, such as Thames Water, Canal and River Trust, the Environment Agency and other London Boroughs, to discuss how best to deal with the aforementioned issues across the Brent Catchment, all of which were relevant to the Welsh Harp.

Having thanked Cassie Bridger for the update, the Chair invited comments and contributions from Committee members, with questions and responses summarised below:

·       Regarding the Silk Stream bridge, the Committee were informed that a decision had not been taken on the future of the bridge. However, Barratt London was exploring a lighter weight design along the same route which was hoped to be more sensitive to the Welsh Harp area. In response to a suggestion to re-route the bridge amid concerns that a lighter weight alternative in the same place would significantly damage the SSSI, Councillor Schneiderman recognised the concerns but explained that Barratt London had received planning permission to build the bridge in that specific location. Nevertheless, Councillor Schneiderman reassured members that the design would have to jointly approved by stakeholders such as Natural England, the Environment Agency and the Canal & River Trust, and reiterated that the design would have to reviewed before making a final decision.

·       In response to an issue relating to the condition of the bird hide at the Welsh Harp, which was particularly impacted by litter, members were advised that the issue would be raised with colleagues at Barnet Council and options would be explored to reduce the impact of waste at the bird hide.

As no further issues were raised, the Committee AGREED to note the report.