Agenda item

Consideration was given to the report of Bob Flindall which was presented to Cabinet by Councillor Osman Dervish, Cabinet Lead Member for the Environment, Regulatory Services and Community Safety.

Cllr Dervish stated that until recently the Veolia Havering Riverside Maintenance Trust had been seeking to secure funding from the Landfill Communities Fund as an endowment to provide the management and maintenance of the restored Landfill Trust in perpetuity.  The Trust has approximately £5 million of funds set aside for this purpose but due to legislative changes, this money will need to be spent much sooner than anticipated.  The prior funding source is no longer available and new resources have to be found through a new mechanism to secure finance into the future.

The project has been established for fifteen years and represents a significant regeneration programme that will continue to provide good quality wild space as an important part of the local green infrastructure.

The concept of Rainham Wildspace was established in partnership with a number of other organisations and has successfully delivered a wide range of projects.  In 2012 Havering Council intended to establish a strong decision making Governance structure for Rainham Wildspace but this coincided with a planning application on behalf of Veolia UK to establish a longer period of landfill operation on the site.  The subsequent planning agreement included the opportunity for the Council to acquire a pie crust least to manage the site by or before October, 2031.

The Council have now been approached by Trustees with an invitation to apply to use Trust Funds to deliver projects that meet the objectives of the Trust and to seek out and develop alternative methods of funding. 

It was noted that Members will be kept updated in respect of these matters through Executive Decisions and as part of the Capital Programme.

The Council have been involved in a number of meetings with the Trust and has also met with the Government Department to establish whether it is absolutely necessary to wind up the Trust.  All attempts to retain it have been unsuccessful.

Cabinet noted that use of funding will be in line with the Capital Programme and the terms of the scheme must be in accordance with the Trust objects and approved by ENTRUST (the regulatory body of the Trusts).

For the reasons set out in the report, Cabinet:

·         AGREED that the Council prepare and submit funding applications to the Veolia Havering Riverside Maintenance Trust (the “Trust”) that meet the Trust objects and that the Chief Executive, after consultation with the Leader, shall have delegated authority to identify those projects and make the applications.

·         AGREED that the Council consider the various options, to facilitate funding for the annual maintenance of and public access to the restored landfill site. Options to consider include the provision of financial support directly, via a trust or through a third party. 

·         DELEGATED authority to the Chief Executive after consultation with Director of Legal and Governance and the section 151 officer, to develop options and implement a solution to secure the management and maintenance of the completed landfill site including the facilitation of required funding streams. These options may include the Council taking responsibility for its management and upkeep and/or making financial provision with a third party (e.g. RSPB or Land Trust).