Issue - decisions

NOTED the deputation received from Satvinder Riyat (representing Sudbury Matters Forum as a local community group) regarding the future of Barham Park.  In thanking the Mayor for the opportunity to present her deputation, she began by outlining the history of Barham Park and its buildings and nature of their gift as a community asset by Titus Barham in 1937, on the basis of the Council acting as sole Trustee.  In noting the current governance arrangements, with the Council discharging its duties as Trustee through the Barham Park Trust Committee and the Council supporting the Trust in terms of the maintenance and upkeep of the Park and its facilities, the Sudbury Matters Forum (having recognised the limited awareness amongst residents of the Parks status) were keen to ensure that the local community had the opportunity to establish a mechanism and voice that could be used to assist in shaping and securing the future use and management of the Park and its buildings.  This was felt to be particularly important given the feasibility exercise currently being undertaken by the Trust, with Satvinder Riyat announcing that as a result the Forum were now in the process of establishing a “Friends of Barham Park” Group.

The aim of the Group was to ensure that local residents, as the beneficiaries of the Park following its gift as a community asset, were able to have a voice in its future.  Satvinder Riyat advised that the Friends Group was being established as an independent, inclusive and non-partisan body which all interested parties would be welcome to join (irrespective of their proximity to the Park) in order to ensure that it was as representative of the diverse communities across Brent as possible.  Members were advised that the key aim of the Group would be to preserve the historical and ecological value of the Park and its buildings ensuring that they remained sustainable for present and future generations to enjoy.  In concluding the deputation, members were advised of the key aims identified by the Group, which were as follows:

1.     To serve as the voice of the beneficiaries in collaboration with the Trustees to influence the future of the Park and its buildings

2.     To actively participate as volunteers in the maintenance, conservation and preservation of the Park for future residents.

3.     To engage with the Trustees in conducting a comprehensive survey of the Park, in order to detect the presence of any protected wildlife species.

4.     To capture and preserve the history of the Park, including the architectural importance of its buildings, its previous owner and occupants, which may have cultural significance for the borough’s diverse communities.

5.     To educate about the Park’s historic significance.

Whilst recognising the current nature of the challenges facing the Trust in supporting the upkeep and maintenance of the Park and its buildings Satvinder Riyat ended by highlighting that the Group were committed to working with the Barham Park Trust and Council officers in order to safeguard the Park as a much valued community asset gifted to the people of the borough with anyone interested in joining the Group urged to contact: www.friendsofbarhampark.org

In welcoming and responding to the deputation, Councillor Muhammed Butt, as Chair of the Barham Park Trust, thanked the Sudbury Matters Forum for their efforts to engage with the Trust and Council, supported through Councillor Benea.  In recognising the need to ensure a collaborative approach was taken to preserving the benefit and future of the Park, Councillor Muhammed Butt outlined the Trust’s commitment to safeguard and build on its legacy as a much valued community asset and welcomed the established of the Friends Group through the Forum as a means of focussing future collaboration and engagement.

Eligible for Call-In: No

No deputations were received at the meeting.