Agenda item

This report presents an update on the Committee Action Tracker.

The Committee received a report presenting an update on the Committee Action Tracker.

The following matters were discussed:

a)            Condition of Hack Canter Ride. The Streetcare Manager informed the Committee that a meeting had taken place with Alex Stewart and Nigel Whybrow to look at the issue and come up with a solution. The solution agreed upon, is to move the Hack Ride over slightly, as the current one is beyond repair.

b)            Noticeboards. The Chair informed the Committee that there are copies of the information to be put on the noticeboards, for Members and Invited representatives to consider and feedback on following the meeting. Invited representatives raised two noticeboards that needed further attention. The Chair noted the comments. The Streetcare Manager noted the locations and confirmed they would look into it.

c)            Spoil Heaps. The Chair informed the Committee that the spoil heaps in the top car park have increased. The Chair explained that this is primarily due to materials arriving from Kempton and Langbourne to help update and refurbish some of the bottom gallop. The bottom gallop is due to be updated through October and some, if not all, of those materials will be used to do that work.

d)            Oak Trees. The Chair informed the Committee that the Epsom and Ewell Tree Advisory Board are happy to fund the trees, depending on the size. The Chair set out that the next steps will be to discuss with the Council’s Tree Officer, and the Countryside Team, to progress this item along. The Chair raised that there is a suggestion that the trees are a mix of oak trees and disease resistant elms. The Chair committed to speak to the Business Improvement District to provide additional funding for the project.

e)            Ice Cream Van. The Streetcare Manager confirmed that the Ice Cream Van will move location, into the Downskeepers Car Park, starting from next season.

f)             Sycamore Trees. The Streetcare Manager confirmed they have looked into the threat posed by sycamores to horses and stated that the Council is not in the position to start removing sycamore trees, due to the ash dieback on the Downs. The Streetcare Manager invited Members and representatives to speak to her if they have any specific issues and agreed to work collaboratively to find a solution.

g)            Fibre Sand Gallop. The Chair informed the Committee that a meeting had taken place with the Streetcare Manager, Nigel Whybrow, and Alex Stewart. The solution agreed is for Nigel Whybrow to amend the gateway that crosses the fibre sand gallop, to make it more open and inviting for hack riders to get across. The Chair invited feedback from hack riders on whether this will help address the issue.

h)            Rifle Butts Alley. The Streetcare Manager informed the Committee that the vegetation dump has been cleared.

i)             Resurfacing of Hack Canter. The Chair informed the Committee, that they had visited the Hack Canter in question, and observed it was ok. The Chair invited Members and representatives to raise anything if they were still experiencing issues. The Chair agreed to speak to Nigel Whybrow to look at the areas mentioned by invited representatives and focus on getting some improvements.

j)             Toilets on the Downs. The Chair mentioned that if money can be identified to deliver this project, then it will be brought back to the Committee. However, at present, there is no budget for it.

k)            Hack Posts. The Streetcare Manager informed the Committee that the Downskeepers are working on putting hack posts into the locations that have been communicated by the relevant Member.

Following discussion, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)      Note the status and update on actions listed in the Committee Action Tracker.