Agenda item

The Council’s Parks Development Manager gave the Sub-Committee a presentation on the Council’s parks and open spaces.

The presentation showed that the Council managed 100 parks and open spaces including 4 country parks and also detailed the works carried out managing the parks including the management of maintenance, parks ranger service and parks management and a formal inspection system.

Officers were also tasked with capital project management and external funding applications which formed part of the Parks and Open Spaces strategy.

In total the Council maintained and managed 41 play areas including 26 recreation/fitness areas.

The Council also managed 27 allotments including liaising with allotment societies, management of Public Right of Ways including liaising with ramblers and liaison with 18 friends of parks groups.

Members noted that the team also dealt with the management of Green Flag applications and that the Council currently had 13 parks that held Green Flag status.

Officers advised that dealt with event and activities management, management of leases and licences and management of sports pitch hire.

Marketing of the parks and open spaces was carried out using social media, website, brochures and press releases.

Going forward officers announced that a further Green Flag application had been made for Langtons Gardens and the retention of existing sites.

Applications would continue for London in Bloom for contribution in Best Borough category.

Officers would continue to work with private companies that wanted to invest in the parks and help generate income.

Officers continued to research through the London Parks Benchmarking Group and Parks for London to collate ideas for additional income generation.

Improved publicity of the parks and open spaces would continue with new brochures, web pages and the use of the events management website “Filmapp” which allowed filmmakers to book to use parks or open spaces when filming.

Improved parks condition and safety inspections would be carried out using the “Commontime” software that was currently used by Housing Services.

Members noted that parks maintenance was carried by an in-house team which made more financial sense than using outside contractors.

Arrangements were in place to carry out bio diversity surveys in the country parks to ascertain exact numbers of wildlife and insects.

In response to questions from Members, officers replied that plans were in place to increase the number of weekend litter bin collections particularly in larger well-used parks like Upminster and Raphael parks. Officers also advised that they would be trialling larger bins particularly in Upminster Park that compacted rubbish down until the bin was eventually full and then it would be emptied rather than operatives emptying half full bins as they sometimes did at present.

Legal and property Services were currently looking at land ownership in Dagnam Park following the recent query relating to boundaries that had arisen when proposals for the solar park were considered.

Officers advised that the recent vandalism in Central Park had been carried out overnight by people who had hidden within the park when it was locked up. There had been a strong level of public outcry amongst the community which had led to the perpetrators being caught and action taken against them and their parents.

In response to a question relating to the provision of public conveniences in parks, officers advised that it was not sustainable to provide toilets in parks that were unmanned or that did not have catering provision within them.

Members noted the contents of the presentation and thanked officers for their time.