050804/CAB003 Date: 4 August 2005
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10(A) - 1 Report Number: 050804/CAB003 Date: 4 August 2005 TUNBRIDGE WELLS BOROUGH COUNCIL REQUEST FOR DECISION BY CABINET Part II Report Non Exempt Title and Executive Summary: PROPOSED ENHANCEMENT OF VICTORIA CROSS COMMEMORATIVE GROVE, DUNORLAN PARK This report recommends that the Victoria Cross commemorative grove located in Dunorlan Park be enhanced and that the enhancement project be completed in time for the 400th Anniversary year, 2006. It recommends that a budget of £28,000 be approved for the project and recommends that executive authority for authorising expenditure and action on the project be delegated to a Design Panel comprising the Leader of the Council and the Portfolio Holders for Economic Development & Leisure. This decision cannot be delegated to a Portfolio Holder because it does not fall within the Budget and Policy Framework and therefore requires Cabinet approval. WARD: N/A HEAD OF/DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONAL SERVICES PORTFOLIO: (1) Environment, (2) Contact Officer: John Haynes Extension: 3144 Leisure, (3) Economic Development PRIORITY: (1) Environment, (2) Leisure. RECOMMENDATION: (1) That the Cabinet approve a Victoria Cross Grove (Dunorlan Park) enhancement project.; and (2) That the Cabinet approve and authorise actions (a) to (f) inclusive in paragraph 14 of this report for the purpose of funding the enhancement project and implementing it. Reasons: To authorise and fund the project and to enable its delivery. (Items marked * will be the subject of recommendations by Cabinet to full Council; in the case of other items, Cabinet may make the decision, subject to call-in (Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rule 13)) 10(A) - 2 Item No. 10 TUNBRIDGE WELLS BOROUGH COUNCIL CABINET MEETING – 4 AUGUST 2005 REPORT OF DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONAL SERVICES (A) PROPOSED ENHANCEMENT OF VICTORIA CROSS COMMEMORATIVE GROVE, DUNORLAN PARK Executive Summary 1. This report (050804/CAB003) recommends that the Victoria Cross commemorative grove located in Dunorlan Park be enhanced and that the enhancement project be completed in time for the 400th Anniversary year, 2006. 2. The report recommends that a budget of £28,000 be approved for the project. 3. The report recommends that executive authority for authorising expenditure and action on the project, be delegated to a Design Panel comprising the Leader of the Council and the Portfolio Holders for Economic Development & Leisure. FOR DECISION Background (1) In 1994/95 a grove of oak trees were planted in Dunorlan Park as a memorial for the 10 people who had been awarded the Victoria Cross for acts of significant bravery who have an association with the Borough of Tunbridge Wells. The origin of the grove is detailed in Appendix 1 of this report. Appendix 2 of this report details the individuals awarded the Victoria Cross and brief details of their connection with the Borough. At the site, a bronze plaque is mounted on a piece of oak tree laid on the ground. The plaque gives information with respect to the dedication of the grove, but does not provide any information on the Victoria Cross holders. The Case For Enhancement (2) The grove of trees is a fitting method of commemoration and when it was installed was in line with Council policy at that time which was to promote tree planting. The grove, located in the wilder part of Dunorlan Park is still a special place with a distinctive ambience, which harmonises with its commemorative purpose. However, the lack of any information on the Victoria Cross holders is considered to be detrimental to the “experience” of the place, particularly in an era where people have an ever increasing thirst for knowledge, information and detail. Therefore, an enhancement which in particular provides more detail on the Victoria Cross holders, is considered appropriate and would add value to the Grove and significantly add to the appreciation of the place and the acts of bravery which it commemorates. (3) If this project is agreed and commenced immediately, there is a strong possibility that it can be completed during the 400th Anniversary year of the Town in 2006 and it would therefore provide, in a prominent Town location (Dunorlan Park), a fascinating insight into a key and rare component of the history of the Borough. 10(A) - 3 Report of Director of Operational Services (cont) (4) One of the programmes of work that is in hand as part of the 400th Anniversary celebrations is the development of the Heritage Trail. Clearly the Trail will include reference to the Victoria Cross Grove and hence the Trail will be a more interesting and comprehensive product if more information is available on the places on it. The Heritage Trail will of course be a permanent feature of our Town and will therefore have a leisure/tourism role to play in future years. (5) An enhancement of the Grove facility would compliment the significant enhancements recently undertaken on the Park generally. (6) A number of people consider that the most desirable event in our 400th Anniversary celebration year would be a Royal visit. Given the extraordinary high demand for Royal visits in the United Kingdom and elsewhere, we have to accept that an exceptional case has to be made to justify a visit. It is considered that an enhanced facility for heroic members of Her Majesty’s forces would assist such a case, based around our 400th Anniversary and historical Royal connections. Priority Context (7) It is suggested that the Victoria Cross Grove enhancement project is appropriate in the context of the Council’s priorities. The Council’s Environment policy states “To improve and maintain the local, natural and built environments for the benefit of present and future generations”. The proposal will also contribute, albeit in a relatively small way, to our Leisure priority which requires us to maintain a range of leisure, sporting, cultural and educational activities, accessible to the Community. Design Context and Budget Requirement (8) The Victoria Cross Grove is located in the more natural/wilder part of Dunorlan Park and its form (the oak trees) is a very simple and natural form. Therefore, it is accepted that any information enhancement facility must recognise these constraints and must have a sympathetic design, use high quality materials and must be sited in a way which does not improperly intrude into the natural setting of the Grove and its surroundings. Design and Heritage officers of the Council have been asked to develop design criteria and proposals on these lines. Therefore to achieve these aims, it is recommended that if it is decided to progress this project, a budget of £28,000 should be approved to cover design manufacture and installation of an enhancement. It should also be accepted that in due course, a revenue budget will need to be agreed if an opening ceremony of any significance was to be undertaken. It is not recommended that a budget for this is determined at this stage or until we are clear if the opening of an enhanced Grove facility is to be a stand-alone event or part of a more comprehensive ceremonial occasion. With respect to on-going revenue costs for an enhanced facility it must be accepted that some budget will be required for maintenance of any facility installed. It is difficult at this stage in the development of the project to estimate the sum required with precision. Therefore it is suggested that in considering the VFM/affordability issue that it is assumed that a sum equivalent to 5% of capital cost per annum will be required. This sum is not material in the context of the total annual maintenance cost of the park. Sustainability (9) At present, the lions share of the direct tourism effort undertaken by the Council is in the form of a revenue funded business model (e.g. a TIC, events and promotions). In the longer term it is considered that a more sustainable business model for Tourism activity would be one that is more capital focused and in particular, if the capital is in the form of a (to a large degree) self operating product (e.g. minimal revenue support operations). A Heritage Trail is considered to be an appropriate capital focused product, but clearly to ensure value for money and success, the product must be both interesting and of superior quality. The Grove enhancement project will meet this specification and will 10(A) - 4 therefore contribute towards the delivery of a sustainable capital focused, self-operating visitor offer. Report of Director of Operational Services (cont) Risk Assessment (10) All facilities, which are located in public open space, are at risk of vandalism. It is considered that the degree of risk of the proposed Grove enhancements is no higher than any other facility in Dunorlan. Vandalism in Dunorlan to date is generally lower than in other parks/parts of the town centre. (11) The project risk which warrants more detailed consideration is the risk that the project will not be completed on time (e.g. at a planned date in the 400th Anniversary year and should a Royal visit be granted prior to the date of the visit). A failure of this type would have severe adverse reputation impact from which the Authority would have difficulty in recovering in any reasonable timescale. Such an event is therefore clearly unacceptable and the probability of delivery failure must therefore be reduced to a minimum. Hence the project must be regarded as a time critical project and as/when/if necessary, any appropriate action must be taken to meet a predetermined delivery/completion deadline. This may include action during the development of a detailed project plan and/or action during project delivery, for example, action designed to speed up decision making and procurement processes.