Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber - Epsom Town Hall, https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/rt/7571318848250724621

Contact: Democratic Services, email:  democraticservices@epsom-ewell.gov.uk  tel: 01372 732000

Items
No. Item

10.

Minutes of Previous Meeting pdf icon PDF 319 KB

The Conservators are asked to confirm as a true record the Minutes of the Conservators’ Meeting held on 21 June 2021 (attached) and to authorise the Chairman to sign them.

 


Minutes:

The Minutes of the previous meeting of the Epsom and Walton Down Conservators held on 21 June 2021, were agreed as a true record and signed by the Chair.

11.

Tattenham Corner Conveniences pdf icon PDF 344 KB

This report considers the options available for the provision or removal of the public conveniences.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee received a report which considered the options available for the provision or removal of the public conveniences.

The Conservators received a verbal introduction from the Head of Property and Regeneration.

The Conservators considered the following matters:

a)            The financial impact of demolishing the current Conveniences.

b)            The costs of providing new conveniences in either of the proposed locations.

c)            The possible consequence of charging a fee for the public to use the Conveniences, given that nowhere else in the Borough charges a fee to use a Convenience.

d)            The fact that Epsom and Walton Downs is a much visited and utilised public space, and that there should be access to a Convenience, to avoid unsanitary behaviour.

e)            The significant cost involved in the refurbishment of public toilets.

f)             The fact that Conservators do not have the funds available to either re-provide or refurbish the toilets.

g)            That the possibility exists to explore the re-provision thereof with stakeholder partners.

Following consideration, it was resolved that the Conservators:

(1)          Agreed to proceed with Option 4 as set out in the report, being to demolish the existing public toilets together with an undertaking to explore the future re-provision of a toilet facility with stakeholder partners.

 

 

12.

Scheme for Barbeques at the Racecourse pdf icon PDF 232 KB

Following the in-principle approval of the use of barbecues at the racecourse during designated periods, the Conservators asked for an operating scheme to be brought forward for final approval.

A scheme was presented to and approved by the Conservators at its meeting 2 March 2020, but never implemented for the intended trial period during 2020, as a result of the Covid 19 pandemic and subsequent National lockdowns.

This report seeks approval for a scheme to enable the in principle conditional permission to use barbecues, to be granted for a trial period during 2022.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Conservators received a report seeking approval for a scheme to enable the in principle conditional permission for the limited use of barbecues, to be granted for a trial period during 2022.

This report followed on from the in-principle approval of the use of barbecues at the racecourse during designated periods, and the Conservators having asked for an operating scheme to be brought forward for final approval.

A scheme was presented to and approved by the Conservators at its meeting 2 March 2020, but never implemented for the intended trial period during 2020, as a result of the Covid 19 pandemic and subsequent National lockdowns.

Following consideration, the Conservators resolved unanimously to:

(1)          note the proposed conditions attached at Appendix 1 to the report, as previously approved by the Conservators, on any permission to use barbecues at the Racecourse, subject to any final minor changes which may be necessary, to be agreed by the Clerk to the Conservators with the Chairman;

(2)          grant Epsom Downs Racecourse conditional permission to use barbecues within the race meetings applied for 2022, namely Ladies Day, The Derby and the Bank Holiday August Race Meetings;

(3)          request Epsom Downs Racecourse to provide a report to the Conservators on the outcome of implementing the permission to hold the barbecues, following the trial period.

 

 

13.

Hack Sand Replacement pdf icon PDF 288 KB

This report accompanies a proposal by the Jockey Club to replace the Hack Sand Ride on Six Mile Hill with a sixteen-metre-wide strip at the bottom of the hill with a Hack Canter area. The Jockey Club have concluded that replacement of the existing Hack Sand Ride would be uneconomical and that they would continue their responsibility for maintaining the proposed Hack Canter area, going forward.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Conservators received a report which accompanied a proposal by the Jockey Club to replace the Hack Sand Ride on Six Mile Hill with a sixteen-metre-wide strip at the bottom of the hill with a Hack Canter area. The Jockey Club have concluded that replacement of the existing Hack Sand Ride would be uneconomical and that they would continue their responsibility for maintaining the proposed Hack Canter area, going forward.

Following consideration, the Conservators resolved unanimously to:

(1)          Approve in principle, the Jockey Club’s proposal to replace the existing Hack Sand Ride on Six Mile Hill with a Hack Canter area as indicated on the map at Appendix 2 to the report, subject to the following:

a)        That the Jockey Club obtain any (and all) relevant permissions prior to the commencement of any works to replace the existing Hack Sand area, for example, approval of the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS)

b)        That no future maintenance costs of the proposed Hack Canter area fall to the Conservators

c)        That the Health & Safety implications of installing the new Hack Sand Canter area are considered fully by the Jockey Club prior to implementation

 

14.

Rural Development Fund – Visitor Trails And Wayfinder Project Progress pdf icon PDF 241 KB

Following a successful bid to the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD), the following report provides an update on the grant award and progress to date.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Conservators received a report providing an update on the grant award and progress to date, following a successful bid to the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD).

Following consideration, the Conservators resolved unanimously to:

(1)          Note the indicative timeline and project deliverables

(2)          Note the difference between the Grant Award and the funding allocation sought and the resulting project funding deficit of £10,657.

(3)          Note the work undertaken to date and confirm support for continuing with the project.

(4)          Agree to fund the most significant element of the project infrastructure for which funding has not been obtained: the waymarking discs at a cost of £1,216.

 

 

15.

Proposal to install running rail alongside key gallops and horsewalks on Epsom and Walton Downs pdf icon PDF 217 KB

This report accompanies a proposal from the Jockey Club, seeking the approval of the Conservators for the installation of running rails alongside key gallops and horse-walks on Epsom and Walton Downs.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

This report accompanies a proposal from the Jockey Club, seeking the approval of the Conservators for the installation of running rails alongside key gallops and horse-walks on Epsom and Walton Downs.

 

Following consideration, the Conservators resolved unanimously to:

(1)          Approve the proposals set out in the attached report of the Jockey Club, subject to the relevant permissions being obtained which may include planning permission and County Council Highways consent.

 

 

16.

Mid-Year Budget Monitoring pdf icon PDF 234 KB

This item reports on the income and expenditure position as at 31 August 2021 and seeks guidance on the preparation of the budget and precept for 2022/23.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Conservators received a report on the income and expenditure position as at 31 August 2021 and seeking guidance on the preparation of the budget and precept for 2022/23.

The Conservators noted that the external auditors had completed their audit and concluded that the accounts had been prepared in accordance with proper practices and had raised no concern.

Having considered the report, the Conservators resolved to:

(1)          Note the mid-year income and expenditure position as at 31 August 2021.

(2)          Provide guidance on the preparation of the 2022/23 budget, including confirmation that the £19,840 budget for the Conveniences can be removed from the budget, to meet the savings target;

(3)          Note the conclusion of the 2020/21 external audit of the accounts.

 

 

17.

Dates of meetings in 2022 pdf icon PDF 212 KB

The Conservators are requested to agree the dates of their normal meetings to be held in 2022.

Minutes:

The Conservators received a report requesting them to agree the dates of their normal meetings to be held in 2022.

It was noted that a Conservator was of the view that more than 3 meetings should take place during the year in order to keep the Conservators updated particularly on developments and planning surrounding the Derby Festival.  It was pointed out, however, that there was currently no budgetary provision to hold additional meetings.  Officers were nevertheless requested to identify provisional dates for meetings in addition  to the dates set out in the report or to spread the meetings more evenly throughout the year.

Following consideration, the Conservators resolved to:

(1)          agree to hold their normal meetings in 2022 on the following dates:

a)         Monday 24 January 2022 at 18.00 hours

b)        Monday 20 June 2022 at 18.00 hours

c)         Monday 7 November 2022 18.00 hours