Committee Environment Select Committee

Title Minutes of the meeting of 17 February 2004

Class Part 1

Present were Councillor Muldoon (Chair); Councillor Kisicki (Vice Chair); Councillors Johnson, Terry Scott and Till.

Apologies were received from Councillor Handley

Also present were John Thompson, Service Group Manager, Green Scene, Martin Hyde, Parks Regeneration Manager, Nigel Tyrell, Head of Environment.

From Glendale: Gary Wise, Grounds Maintenance Manager, Richard Burton, Paul Foinette, Gary O’Hara.

From Park User Groups: Marion Wood, Horniman Triangle Play Park, Sue Byford, Manor House Gardens, Oliver Crispin, Manor House Gardens, Josh Smaller, Blythe Hill, Margaret Dinkeldein, Blackheath.

Councillor Carl Kisicki, Vice Chair, took the Chair for the first half of the meeting because Councillor John Muldoon, Chair, was delayed arriving. Councillor Muldoon joined the meeting at 2005.

1. Minutes of the Meeting held on 27 January 2004.

The minutes were unfortunately not available to bring to this meeting. Officers will bring them to the next meeting of the select committee.

2. Declarations of Interest

Councillor Darren Johnson declared an interest in his role as a member of the Assembly

3. Review of Glendale Parks Management

Members received a presentation from Gary Wise, Grounds Maintenance Manager of Glendale, and Martin Hyde, Parks Regeneration Manager, LBL, on the year’s achievements, parks’ infrastructure, the Park Ranger Service and the Open Spaces Strategy 2004-2009 currently being developed.

A new Park Brochure was made available to members and others attending the select committee. Officers commented that had won the London in Bloom competition for 2003, beating Bexley and Bromley into 2nd and 3rd places.

Officers commented that resident satisfaction with Lewisham’s parks had risen 7% since the last Best Value Review.

Open Space Strategy 2004-2009

Officers gave details of a consultation process that had been undertaken with the assistance of the Groundwork Trust and of a photographic survey of Lewisham’s Parks and Open Spaces being carried out as part of the new Open Spaces Strategy.

Questions arising

Councillor Terry Scott asked about the use of CCTV in parks and how effective it was. Officers responded that there were hotspots in the borough and that CCTV played an important part, particularly in areas difficult to make secure. CCTV has reduced, for example, the incidences of vandalism in Wells Park. However, there is not sufficient funding for CCTV in every park. In addition to CCTV, target enforcement sessions are planned, with the police, Park Rangers and Police Community Safety Officers (PCSOs), to ensure by-laws are adhered to.

Park Rangers

Councillor Darren Johnson asked about enforcement powers for Park Rangers. Park Rangers do have enforcement powers, and can also act as the ‘eyes’ and ‘ears’ for the police and PCSOs. A PCSO in now in place in Sydenham. Where PCSOs are not in place, local beat Managers and Officers patrol with the Park Rangers, ensuring good communication.

Councillor Alan Till enquired whether more parks could have on-site static Park Rangers. Officers explained that it remains something of an aspiration at present but the Council is aiming for an addition 7 parks to have Park Rangers in place.

Heritage Lottery Award

Telegraph Hill Park had received a Heritage Lottery Award to upgrade it to a key park. Thirteen other parks in Lewisham would like to update including Mayow, Mountsfield, , and Hilly Fields.

Beckenham Place Park

Councillor Terry Scott asked about the maintenance of the golf course in Beckenham Place which had deteriorated considerably from a position of being one of the most frequently visited golf courses in the country. There used to be up to 86,000 rounds of golf played there a year but this had drastically reduced. Officers reiterated the Council’s commitment to . The golf course is almost breaking even. Discussion with a private entrepreneur some time ago to make improvements had failed. The Mayor had dedicated funds for a feasibility study on the park. The aim is to try and make it a community resource around the homesteads area with input from the Friends of Beckenham Place Park. Councillor Scott asked for six monthly updates on progress on Beckenham Place Park.

Park User Groups

The Chair invited representatives from various Park User Groups to offer their questions and views.

Issues arising

Park By-laws

Representatives asked questions about current park by-laws and if existing Park Rangers had received training in them. Officers explained that the by-laws were currently being updated which should make them easier to understand. Park Rangers had received training on by-laws. Rangers do have enforcement powers and will work closely with targeted enforcement efforts by the Police and PCSOs.

Dog Fouling

The Council was commended on its efforts to reduce dog fouling. It was noted that the Council gives out free bags to dog owners but a query was raised as to why the service isn’t advertised more widely. Officers said that the free bags have been advertised on dog bins but that they would enquire into further ways of advertising the service. Educating dog owners on the issue was also important.

Horticultural Apprentice Scheme

A question was raised as to the placement of horticultural apprentices to both maintain the parks and for the apprentices to learn new skills. Officers explained that efforts to recruit apprentices had not been particularly successful, those concerned often leaving almost as soon as they started their apprenticeships. However the Council has 17 apprentices at present and a target of 21 overall.

Open Spaces Strategy

Questions were asked about the degree of consultation for the Open Spaces Strategy. Officers explained that all Park User groups should have been contacted already. Officers made clear that the strategy is not just about parks but all open spaces and that this could include civic space (e.g. around Lewisham and town centres)

Manor House Gardens

Representatives from Manor House Gardens Park User Group commended Glendale for their work in Manor House Gardens, in particular Richard Burton. It is only a small green space but is very popular and heavily used. Residents generally feel safe using the park and it is well landscaped and reasonably well maintained. Officers confirmed that the park’s rangers had done their enforcement training for the new by-laws, enabling the park to keep its Green Flag.

Glendale Contract

In answer to a question arising officers gave information on the minimum maintenance levels required of Glendales within their contract.

Canada Geese

Representatives of the Park User Groups asked about the Council’s policy on controlling Canada Geese. Manor House Gardens was one area where the geese were proving problematic. Officers explained that deterrents such as fencing off lakes were used. Members commented that the fences had to be adequately maintained to be effective. Officers explained that culling would be contentious.

Vandalism

Questions were raised over vandalism to various items of park furniture such as bins and benches. Woodland Walk, in was subject to continual vandalism. Officers explained that different types of park furniture had been tried but it had proved almost impossible to make them vandal-proof. One particularly smart series of bins had been stolen. Glendale is planning greater investment in park furniture, with a view to standardising it. Mobile teams of litter pickers are employed to help make the environment more pleasant. Signage is also subject to vandalism and this too, is being reviewed.

The Horniman Triangle Verges

Marion Wood, representing users of the Horniman Triangle, outlined a number of considerable concerns about the area. It is a small space opposite Hornimans museum, currently being destroyed by what were described as Southwark Council contractors digging up all the grass verges as part of road works ongoing. Marion Wood could not understand what Southwark Council contractors were doingworking on roads in Lewisham. Transport for London are involved. Nearly all her efforts to date to protect the verges adjacent to the Triangle had failed and she appealed for greater assistance to protect the Triangle verges. It was explained that the verges were the responsibility of the highways department rather than parks. Correspondence with senior officers in the Council had not been satisfactorily answered, with one exception.

Councillor Darren Johnson offered to take up the matter with the London Assembly of which he is a member.

4. Responses from the Mayor and Cabinet

There were none

5. Items to be referred to the Mayor and Cabinet

Members resolved that they should ask the Mayor and Cabinet to make contact with the Mayor for London and Transport for London about protecting the Horniman Triangle.

Any Other Business

Councillor Johnson enquired when an item on renewable energy could be considered by the select committee. The Chair agreed that it could be one of the first items in the workprogramme for the new municipal year.

The Chair reminded all present about the select committee’s Housing Symposium looking at issues of affordable housing on Thursday 11 March.

It was agreed to invite Park Rangers representatives to the next meeting of the select committee. In addition Members wanted to review repairs to street lights and the issue of blocked drains. The Chair agreed that this too could be an item for the next meeting but reminded members that the agenda for the next meeting was already over subscribed.

The meeting ended at 21.15.

Chair:

Date: