Agenda and minutes

Prior to the commencement of the meeting a period of 15 minutes will be allowed to enable members of the public, who have pre-registered, the opportunity to ask questions. For further details contact Tim Richardson, Democratic Services Officer on 01372 732122.

No questions were asked by members of the public.

Members are asked to declare the existence and nature of any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests in respect of any item of business to be considered at the meeting.

No declarations of interest were made by Members of the Committee regarding items on the Agenda.

The Committee is asked to agree as a true record the minutes of meeting of the Joint Management Committee held on 25 January 2016 (attached) and to authorise the Chairman to sign them.

The Minutes of the meeting of the Nonsuch Park Joint Management Committee held on 25 January 2016 were agreed as a true record and signed by the Chairman.

This report provides an update on the priority works and outlines the works proposed to be undertaken in 2016.

The Committee received and noted a report providing an update on priority works and outlining the programme of works for 2016/17.

The following matters were considered:

a)            Repairs to Mansion House Car Park. The Committee noted that the projected cost of £65,000 of these works was based on the outcome of a tendering exercise. It was also noted that this would utilise almost all of the budgeted £70,000 for urgent repairs.

The Committee noted that the car park provided a facility which supported the Mansion House, and therefore indirectly influenced the potential to generate income from it in the future.

Following a question regarding the potential inclusion of disabled parking spaces in a re-marked car park, the Committee noted that 3 such spaces were currently provided near the tractor shed. Officers anticipated that it would be possible to repair and remark this area within the budgeted works.

b)            Seperation of services to facilitate completion of Friends of Nonsuch Lease. The Committee noted that Officers were still investigating the costs associated with the separation of services.

c)            Assistance with repairs to Old Greenhouse Wall from Nonsuch Voles. Paul Airey of Nonsuch Voles informed the Committee that the Voles would be happy to offer assistance n repairing the Old Greenhouse Wall. The Committee thanked Mr Airey for this offer.

A report to update the Joint Management Committee on the progress of matters considered previously and the activities of Volunteer Groups.

The Committee received a report updating it on the progress of matters considered previously, and the activities of Volunteer Groups.

The following matters were considered:

a)            Farmer Memorial. The Committee noted that the restoration of the Memorial had been completed in March. It was also noted that only one bollard was in location to protect the memorial from future incidents, and the Committee requested Officers to look into the possibility of providing a second. The Assistant Parks Manager would discuss this matter with the insurers for the accident.

b)            Habitat Management Plan – Progress update. The Streetcare Manager informed the Committee that she had recently met with the Nonsuch Voles representatives and that the Voles had agreed to undertake several items from the Habitat Management Plan’s Action Plan. Following this, the Streetcare Manager had produced a final copy of the Habitat Management Plan. The Committee noted that the final copy of the plan would be circulated following the meeting.

c)            Dementia Friendly Initiative. The Committee was informed that a site visit with 2 representatives of the Alzheimers Society had been arranged by the Streetcare Manager for Monday 25 April. Councillor Dudley would also be in attendance.

d)            Commercial Dog Walking. The Streetcare Manager informed the Committee that Epsom and Ewell Borough Council was in the process of recruiting 3 new Rangers, and that one of their duties would be to assist in managing dog control in the Borough’s parks and open spaces. The Streetcare Manager also informed the Committee that a holistic approach to the issue was necessary, as otherwise problems could be transferred to other locations within the Borough.

The Committee noted that there was no legal requirement for commercial dog walkers to hold a licence for such an activity. Some Royal Parks issued ‘Professional Dog Walker’ Licences, but these required a significant level of resource to implement and enforce.

The Streetcare Manager would provide a report containing proposals for the management of dog control and commercial dog walking to the October meetings of the Joint Management Committee and Epsom and Ewell Borough Council’s Leisure Committee. It was noted that the London Borough of Sutton’s Local Committee may also need to consider a report regarding the matter to enable a similar approach to be taken in the Warren Farm area.

A revised Dog Walking Policy had recently been introduced on Epsom and Walton Downs, and had been very successful. Councillor Hicks requested a copy of the revised Dog Walking Policy for Epsom and Walton Downs, and it was noted that the Streetcare Manager would circulate this following the meeting.

e)            Update from The Meadow Project. Sally Williams provided the Committee with a verbal update on planned volunteer days for the project during May-June 2016.

f)             Update from Nonsuch Voles. The Committee noted the Quarter 1 update report from the Nonsuch Voles.

g)            Update from Nonsuch Watch. Frances Wright provided the Committee with an update on survey work undertaken by the group and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 64.

To note the approved upcoming events in the Park.

The Committee received and noted a report providing a summary of upcoming events in the Park. The following matters were considered:

a)            25/26 June Classic Events Country Fair. The Committee was informed that following receipt of the Event Plan from the organiser, arrangements for the event had been confirmed by Officers. It was noted that the Streetcare Manager would circulate the Event Plan to Committee Members following the meeting.

b)            Media interest regarding Parkrun. The Streetcare Manager informed the Committee that following the decision of a Local Authority in Bristol to charge for Parkrun events in that area, there had been an enquiry from a media outlet regarding whether charges were proposed for Nonsuch Park. Officers had responded that there was no intention to charge for the event in Nonsuch Park.

This report lists references to officers outstanding as at 18 April 2016.

The Committee received and noted the Outstanding References. It was suggested that the Committee issued a rolling five year forward programme of business, and noted that the Streetcare Manager would give consideration to the creation of this for presentation to future meetings.

The Chairman requested the Committee’s views on whether it felt that it wished Officers to investigate the possibility of forming an affiliation with the Historic Royal Palaces Charity, given the history of the Park, and the Nonsuch Palace having being located there. The Chairman proposed that if such an affiliation could be formed it could potentially enable the story of Nonsuch Park and the Palace to be better recorded and detailed for future generations, and that the experience of the Charity would be of great assistance in this.

The Committee agreed to request Officers to look into this matter, with a report to be presented to the next meeting.

The Committee agreed to change the date of its next meeting to Monday 27 June 2016, as the existing date clashed with another event.

Under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the Committee may pass a resolution to exclude the public from the Meeting for Part Two of the Agenda on the grounds that the business involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 to Schedule 12 A to the Act (as amended) and that pursuant to Paragraph 10 of Part 2 of the said Schedule 12A the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

The Committee resolved to exclude the Press and Public from the meeting in accordance with Section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds that the business involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act (as amended) and that pursuant to paragraph 10 of Part 2 of the said Schedule 12A the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information.

Note: Members of the Committee were reminded of the need for confidentiality in respect of those items not considered in public

The Committee is asked to agree the exempt from publication Minutes of the meeting of the Joint Management Committee held on 25 January 2016 and to authorise the Chairman to sign them.  These Minutes will not be published because the meeting is likely to be closed to the press and public in view of the nature of the business to be transacted/nature of the proceedings.  It is likely to cover “information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)”.

The Minutes of the meeting of the Nonsuch Park Joint Management Committee held on 25 January 2016 (considered exempt from publication at this time) were agreed as a true record and signed by the Chairman. The Committee noted that updates regarding Items from the Excavation of the Nonsuch Palace site (stored within the basement of the Mansion House) would be included in the Public part of future Agendas.

This report provides an update on exempt from publication items previously considered by the Committee. This report will not be published because the meeting is likely to be closed to the press and public in view of the nature of the business to be transacted/nature of the proceedings.  It is likely to cover “information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)”.

The decisions of the Committee with regard to this item are set out in a separate Minute (considered exempt from publication).

The Committee discussed matters with regard to its 2016/17 budget. This item was considered exempt from publication and the discussion is set out in a separate Minute (also considered exempt from publication).

The Chairman thanked Members and Officers for their work and support over the past year.

The Committee expressed its thanks to the Chairman for all his work on their behalf.