AGENDA ITEM: 10(b) Page nos. 100 – 145 Meeting Cabinet Date 8 June 2009 OPEN SPACES IN BARNET REVIEW REPORT OF THE CLEANER, GREENER, TRANSPORT & DEVELOPMENT OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE 100 1. SCOPE OF THE REVIEW 1.1 On 16th February 2008 the committee concluded the Parks in Barnet review. At the Cleaner, Greener, Transport and Development OSC meeting on 16th February 2009, the committee considered Councillor Julie Johnson’s Member’s item – “As I said in the council chamber at the last full council meeting I would be asking the committee to agree to extend the parks review to include open spaces. Open spaces are an integral part of Barnet’s green environment and obviously all members of this committee are well aware of how important these are to their own constituents. However some are under utilized for various reasons whilst many such as the Welsh Harp Reservoir and Scratch Woods for example are popular and well used. Criterion- 1) What level of public use is made of open space? 2) Is there any local or community involvement ( friends group, wildlife watch etc)? 3) Is the standard of maintenance acceptable? 4) How well is the space publicised and is access clear and convenient? 5) Is public use encouraged by paths, bridleways, way-marking tree identification, picnic areas, organised walks and events? 6) What public facilities already exist i.e. sports equipment etc? But do all open spaces meet this criteria and if not is there more we could do to make open spaces a success story in Barnet? Can I recommend to the committee that members of the review working party visit a minimum of three designated open spaces each? Councillor Andrew McNeil and Mr. Robert Newton become co-opted members.” 1.2 The Committee agreed that the parks review should be extended to include open spaces. To take this forward, the membership of the working group was agreed as Councillor John Hart, Councillor Dean Cohen and Councillor Julie Johnson. Councillor Andrew McNeil and Mr. Robert Newton were co-opted as members of the working group. 1.3 The first meeting of the working group took place on 4th March 2009 where the scope of this section of the review was agreed. The Assistant Director for Environment and the Policy Manager (Planning) were present at this meeting. The working group agreed that the key questions to address during this review would be; How well used are open spaces in Barnet? How accessible are open spaces to Barnet’s residents? What could be done to maximise the use of open spaces? 1.4 On 23rd March, a further meeting of the working group took place with Friends, Amenity and Civic Groups (Appendix 1). At this meeting the Assistant Directors from the Environment & Transport Service and the Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport were present. 101 1.5 In between these two meetings, the members of the working group conducted site visits to allocated open spaces sites which had been identified and agreed at the working group meeting on 4th March. The information on the findings of the working group is attached as Appendix 2. 1.6 A further meeting of the working group took place on 14th April 2009 to discuss the draft report and the draft recommendations contained within this report. 1.7 On 28th April 2009, the Cleaner, Greener, Transport & Development Overview and Scrutiny Committee approved the report and the recommendations contained within this report. 102 2. DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS 1. That there is no further reduction to the staffing levels of the Greenspaces Service will reduce the capacity of the Service to meet the demands of the Three Strands Approach and projected population growth in the borough. This will reduce the value of the built environment. 2. That enhancing collaborative working with the Safer Neighbourhoods Team (SNTs) should be explored to deter anti-social behaviour in open spaces. For example, SNTs could conduct regular patrols of open spaces and issue fixed penalty notices. 3. To improve signage and information boards across all open spaces in the borough as part of a rolling programme, including sponsorship where appropriate. 4. That maintenance of open spaces should be consistent across the borough. 5. That civic, amenity and friends groups receive practical help from the council to develop their activities and to form new groups including the possibility of allocating a designated officer within the Service as the first point of contact for these groups. 6. That the council website be amended to include up-to-date information on civic, amenity and friends groups in the borough links to their website, information on the group and information on the open spaces in the borough. The website should also include general information and advice to ward Members and interested groups. 7. That recommendation 8* of the Cleaner, Greener, Transport & Development Overview & Scrutiny Committee Parks Review is reinforced and that the Greenspaces Forum be revived (to take place twice a year) to also include civic and amenity groups as requested by civic and amenity groups. 8. That use be made of temporary staff or students on environmental courses to update current information on Open Spaces in Barnet in relation to PPG17. * Recommendation 8, Parks Review That the Greenspaces Service provide practical support to Friends Groups to develop their activities. This could further be enhanced through the establishment of a Greenspaces Forum (to be held three times a year) where Friends Groups would be encouraged to share information and speak directly to relevant officers from this service. 103 3. INTRODUCTION The national contextF OPEN SPACE EXISTING 3.1 Parks and open spaces have an important role in enhancing the attractiveness of neighbourhoods and improving the quality of life in urban environments, providing opportunities for informal recreation and social interaction as well as promoting healthy living and well being, enhance the value of property. Open spaces also benefit wildlife, the environment, street scene and landscape and can act as an important educational tool for all sections of the community. They play an important role in fostering community cohesion and neighbourhood pride and promoting sustainable communities. Parks and open spaces play a significant part in reducing CO2 emissions. 3.2 Over the last decade there has been a steady decline in the quality and numbers of urban parks and greenspaces, which has led to government initiatives and local measures to protect and improve the local environment. The urban white paper: Our Towns and Cities: The future set out the government’s aim to improve the design, management and regeneration of towns and cities and create more sustainable, economically powerful neighbourhoods. The paper recognised the importance and benefits of parks play areas and public spaces, and the need to think more creatively to improve their management and maintenance, ‘Access to green spaces reduces stress and promotes well-being. Parks and open spaces are among the most valued features of the places people live. The streets as living space show that people are more inclined to use their town and local centres if that urban environment is well cared for and pedestrian friendly’. 3.3 An Urban Greenspaces taskforce set up in 2001 identified that local authorities were under investing in parks and greenspaces, and making little effort to engage communities in their management and design. The taskforce produced a final report Green Spaces, Better Places (2002) which made 52 recommendations to government for improvement. These include more funding, a greater role for partnership working, a strategic approach to national and local policies, more training, information and data, and the setting up of a new agency to champion urban parks and green spaces. 3.4 The government responded by issuing a policy statement as part of the public space report Living Places- Cleaner, Safer Greener (2002). This outlined its proposals to improve the national and local co-ordination of greenspace policies and programmes, and provide a clearer national policy framework. It also announced the following measures to take forward some of the recommendations made by the taskforce: Improved leadership ( through an inter- departmental ministerial group ) and organisation structures ( setting up of the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE Space)) Improved quality of greenspace information base Sharing good practice Improving standards Greater community engagement Better use of resources 104 3.5 As part of the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment a new agency for urban parks and greenspaces ‘CABE Space’ was established. It introduced a programme of work to implement the recommendations made by the taskforce and forged strategic partnerships to raise quality standards, and deliver better research and information. In partnership with the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA) CABE Space also developed nationally recognised performance standards and measures. 3.6 Other initiatives introduced include the Beacon council scheme ‘Improving Urban Green Spaces’; the incorporation of parks and greenspaces within the national suite of best value performance indicators (BVPIs) and the Comprehensive Performance Assessment framework (CPA). A revised planning policy PPG17: Open Space, Sport and Recreation was also published that required local authorities to undertake audits of provision and to link planning strategies to community strategies. Open spaces, sport and recreation all underpin people's quality of life. As part of a national requirement, Planning Policy Guidance Note 17: Planning for Open Space, Sports and Recreation (PPG17) requires all local authorities to undertake an audit of the amount and quality of open space in their borough. 3.7 Currently the London Borough of Barnet is undergoing a PPG17 assessment of open space. This has involved public consultation exercises and audits of open space in the Borough.