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To the Members of the Parks, Gardens, Allotments and Open Spaces Committee

  • Councillor Mike Acreman
  • Councillor Mahmood Ebrahimjee
  • Councillor Susan Hendrie
  • Councillor Stephen Holder (Chairman)
  • Councillor Katharine Keats-Rohan
  • Councillor Ros Lester (Vice-Chairman)
  • The Mayor, Councillor Dan Beauchamp (ex-officio)

 

30 August 2023

Dear Councillors

You are hereby summoned to attend the Parks, Gardens, Allotments and Open Spaces Committee on Monday, 4 September 2023 at 7.00 pm in the Town Hall for the transaction of business as set out on the attached agenda.

Apologies for the meeting should be sent to Luke Whitcomb, Meetings Officer, at meetings@wallingfordtowncouncil.gov.uk

Yours sincerely

Michelle Taylor

Town Clerk & Responsible Finance Officer

 

AGENDA

 

1     Meeting protocol

The Chairman to explain the protocols to be followed for the meeting

2     Apologies

To receive apologies for the meeting

3     Declarations of interest

To receive and record declarations of interest

A councillor with voting rights who has a disclosable pecuniary interest or another interest as set out in our Council’s Standing Orders Code of Conduct (Item 13) in a matter being considered at a meeting is subject to statutory limitations or restrictions under code of conduct and their right to participate and vote on the matter.  Guidelines are available at the meeting and all councillors have received a copy prior to the meeting.

4     Minutes

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 5 June 2023 and authorise the Chairman to sign them

  • SUPPORTING PAPER
  • RESOLUTION REQUIRED
5     Actions from previous meetings

To review progress on ‘open’ actions agreed at previous meetings

  • SUPPORTING PAPER
6     Public participation

To hear from members of the public on any matter on the agenda

We welcome members of the public at our meetings.  A total of 15 minutes has been set aside for this.  The maximum length for an individual contribution is at the discretion of the Chairman.

Members of the public who wish to speak at this meeting should email Luke Whitcomb, Meetings Officer, in advance at meetings@wallingfordtowncouncil.gov.uk

GENERAL
7     Seasonal report

To receive a report on seasonal activity from the Parks and Estates Manager

  • SUPPORTING PAPER
8     Six-month walk around

To receive a report on the six-month walk around.  (The water feature in the Castle Gardens will be addressed under Agenda Item 18.)

  • SUPPORTING PAPER
  • RESOLUTION MAY BE REQUIRED
9     Health and safety audit

To receive a health and safety audit

  • SUPPORTING PAPERS
  • RESOLUTION REQUIRED
THEMATIC
10     Anti-social behaviour

To receive an update on any instances of anti-social behaviour

11     Events on public spaces

(a) To note the following public events taking place on Council-owned outdoor property from the date of the meeting to the end of the 2023 calendar year

  • 28-30 September, Michaelmas Fair
  • 1-8 October, Circus Ginnett, Kinecroft
  • 4 November, Fireworks, Kinecroft
  • 12 November, Remembrance Sunday, Market Place (plus Remembrance Display in Town Hall on 10-12 November)
  • 3 December, Santa Dash, Bull Croft and Kinecroft
  • Others

(b) To consider a request from Hatwells Fair to trade regularly on four days Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday in the run-up to the first Bank Holiday in May, as happened in 2023.  They previously only traded on three days.

  • RESOLUTION REQUIRED
12     Britain in Bloom

To receive an update on the town’s submission for 2023.  A report is due back after the award ceremony on 27 September 2023

13     Climate emergency

To consider the following action relating to the climate emergency:

(a)   Community gardens and orchards

  • SUPPORTING PAPER MAY FOLLOW

(b)   Equipment for ‘low mow’ areas – Parks and Estates Manager to update

(c)    Electric vehicles – to replace diesel ones.  The Parks and Estates Team are considering this issue at a forthcoming strategy day to map out a five-year horizon.

14     Arboriculture

To consider recent tree surveys and the management of our tree portfolio and to consider whether a Tree Working Group would add value.  The health of trees on the Kinecroft may also be discussed as part of Agenda Item 16 below.

  • SUPPORTING PAPER TO FOLLOW
15     Red kites

To consider what further action may be necessary to address the nuisance issues being caused by the growing numbers of red kites in the area.  Other parish councils are also having to look at this.  The issue was additional mentioned in the recent presentation by RAF Benson to Full Council on 21 August 2023.  The Chilterns Conservation Board (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) are due to have a strategic discussion about the matter with stakeholder bodies including the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) and local Wildlife Trusts.

16    Species surveys

To note the species surveys in the Bull Croft and Castle Gardens

  • SUPPORTING PAPERS
SPECIFIC SPACES

To receive updates on work in the following spaces:

  • RESOLUTIONS MAY BE REQUIRED
17     Kinecroft

including trees (see also Agenda Item 14), triangle of land and review of Bunkfest

18     Bull Croft

including planning applications, archaeology surveys, landscape management and tennis courts

19     Castle Gardens

including water feature, the doorway in Castle Lane, the Castle Motte and a special opening event for the Castle Ruins

20     Allotments

including waiting list for existing allotments (31 at the time of writing), annual meeting of allotment holders, allotment judging and the handover of the Highcroft allotments (including new numbers, signage and noticeboard)

21     Riverside

including an update on accessible moorings and mooring income

22     Rest Garden

including King Charles III coronation commemorative art installation

23     St John’s Green

including bulb planting and the replacement/renovation of the bench

24     Harwell Estate ‘Hot Dog’

including cutting-back in the autumn, bulb planting and the possible replacement of the cherry trees

25     New Road Green Space

an update from the Parks and Estates Manager

26     Additional green spaces in the Highcroft and Winterbrook Meadows housing developments

To consider the intended and most appropriate arrangements for the management of public outdoor space in the Highcroft and Winterbrook Meadows housing estates

27     Future agenda items

To identify items for future meetings

CLOSED
28     Exclusion of press and public

To resolve that the press and public be excluded from the meeting due to the confidential nature of the business to be transacted

  • RESOLUTION REQUIRED
29     Team update [confidential]

To receive an update on the Parks and Estates Team

 

The quorum for this Committee is 4

Exceptionally, due to staff leave, the draft minutes of this meeting will be issued slightly later than usual, in the week commencing 25 September 2023

The next meeting of the Parks, Gardens, Allotments and Open Spaces Committee will be held on Monday, 6 November 2023.   The summons and agenda papers for that meeting will be issued by email on Wednesday, 1 November 2023.  Items for the agenda need to have been received by the Meetings Officer at meetings@wallingfordtowncouncil.gov.uk by 25 October 2023.

Distribution: Town Council website, Town Hall noticeboard, Allotments noticeboard

Non-confidential supporting documents may be made available upon request.

We welcome members of the public at our meetings.  Any member of the public wishing to speak at the meeting should contact the Meetings Officer in advance by emailing meetings@wallingfordtowncouncil.gov.uk