Brighton & Hove City Council - Agenda item - Open Spaces Strategy

Report of the Executive Director, Economy, Environment & Culture

RESOLVED-

1) That the Committee accepts in principle the proposal from Queen’s Park Tennis Club to operate the tennis courts in Queen’s Park as set out at Appendix 10 of the report.

2) That the Committee delegates the agreement of the final lease/licence with Queen’s Park Tennis Club to the Executive Director Economy, Environment and Culture.

3) That the Committee approves the undertaking of soft market testing by officers to identify if some or all of the remaining council tennis courts in the city could be operated by a not for profit organisation. A further report would be brought back to Committee with the outcome of the soft market testing.

4) That the Committee approves the structure for the Brighton & Hove Parks Foundation to be a Charitable Trust, registered with the Charities Commission and notes the proposal to recruit between three to nine independent Trustees to the Foundation.

5) That the Committee notes that an elected member from each Group will be invited to attend the Brighton & Hove Parks Foundation Board meetings.

6) That the Committee grants delegated authority to the Executive Director of Economy, Environment & Culture and Executive Lead Officer Strategy, Governance & Law to prepare all documents relating to the Brighton & Hove Parks Foundation.

7) That the Committee notes the updates provided in the appendices in relation to:

· Anti-social behaviour, Safety & Crime

· Development Funding

· Finance and Asset Management

· Health & Well-being

· Litter and Dog Fouling

· Natural and Semi Natural Green Space

· Playgrounds

· Public Realm

· Trees

39.1 The Committee considered a report of the Executive Director, Economy, Environment & Culture that provided an update to the Open Spaces Strategy Action Plan agreed by the committee in June 2017 and requested approval of specific actions.

39.2 Councillor Littman asked what the rent for use of council facilities would be once the rent free period elapsed, the risk to the council of being left with tennis infrastructure that was non-viable to alternative providers and whether the expertise of the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) would be used for the proposed soft market testing.

39.3 The Parks & Green Spaces Operations Officer clarified that the Queens Park Tennis Club would be charged a peppercorn rent with a requirement that the facilities would be accessible to the general public and confirmed that there would be close working with the LTA with any progress reported back to the committee.

39.4 Councillor West stated that he was very supportive of the general approach of the Strategy in encouraging more people to volunteer. Councillor West added that increased investment in communications was needed to inform people of the various ways they could become involved in volunteering. In addition, Councillor West highlighted the health and wellbeing benefits of the Strategy outlined in the report and drew attention to the ‘Brighton & Hove Way’ aim, connected to the Biosphere and the benefits in accessing the local countryside and a method of strengthening local communities.

39.5 Councillor Wares welcomed the proposal for Queens Park Tennis Club to operate the tennis court in Queens Park that further progressed a motion put forward by his Group in June. Referring to page 30, Councillor Wares relayed his agreement with the independence of the Foundation but asked for reassurance that there would be Member oversight and involvement. Councillor Wares asked for clarification on paragraph 3.14 of the report related to that matter. In addition, Councillor Wares expressed his hope that the wildlife sites identified be located as close to schools as possible to increase involvement and enquired as to why Hollingbury Park had been chosen as a pilot location for more natural play above other contenders.

39.6 The Legal Officer clarified that the phrasing used at paragraph 3.14 referred to the Council’s constitution and the mechanisms therein to raise matters for discussion and decision as well as officer and committee delegated powers. The Contract & Project Manager clarified that Hollingbury Park had been chosen as a pilot due to a local friends of group contacting the council regarding improvements to the area and a member of the public who was planning fundraising for the park had contacted officers asking for advice on how to raise money that was deemed by officers as good opportunity to make improvements whilst reducing the council’s maintenance budget. Furthermore, the typography of the site and its proximity to meadows and woods made the park an excellent candidate for the natural play initiative.

39.7 Councillor Atkinson thanked officers for their work and welcomed the opportunity to take on an integral role in their local community. Councillor Atkinson urged officers to consider the outskirts as well as the centre of the city when assessing methods to improve safety in parks. Councillor Atkinson stated that he was pleased to hear the success story of Easthill Park where a redundant toilet facility had been turned in a community hub.

39.8 Councillor Nemeth commended the work of Queens Park Tennis Club in putting forward a viable proposal to operate the Queens Park facility and he was aware that Hove Park Tennis Cub had expressed an interest in a similar type of operation. Councillor Nemeth enquired as to the process subsequent to the soft market testing.

39.9 The Parks & Open Spaces Operations officer clarified that in the event other clubs and sites were identified, a proposal would be returned to committee for decision.

39.10 Councillor Brown stated that whilst she welcomed a strategic plan for tree replacement, she had been informed that there was no budget for this issue in the past and asked for clarity on the mater. Councillor Brown noted that the adult gym equipment at Hove Park was very well used but was now falling into disrepair and required inspection for possible replacement.

39.11 The Chair assured Councillor Brown that the gym equipment at Hove Park would be assessed as a priority.

39.12 The Parks and Open Spaces Operations officer clarified that the budget for replacement trees had previously been cut but had recently been re-instated and was further increased by donations and Section 106 funding. A rolling four-year programme was now in place, working from the west of the city to the east.

39.13 Councillor Wares stated that whilst he welcomed a tree replacement programme, his ward in Patcham had lost a number of trees due to natural events and he hoped that the priority would be to replace what had been lost before instigating a wholesale replacement programme.

39.14 The Parks & Open Spaces Operations officer clarified that with 50% of the previous budget re-instated, officers felt the best use of resources would be replacement over larger areas rather than a piecemeal approach.

39.15 RESOLVED-