Cabinet:

1. Agreed to apply for the voluntary village green registration of the five pieces of open land considered in this report.

2. Agreed to instruct officers to carry out all necessary actions to achieve successful registration as agreed in recommendation 1 above.

3. Agreed the attached engagement and consultation process.

Cabinet was presented with the PROPOSALS FOR THE VOLUNTARY MAKING OF FIVE VILLAGE GREENS WITHIN HAVERING.

Report introduced by Councillor Graham Williamson, Cabinet Member for Development and Regeneration.

A report before Cabinet to consider the proposal to make voluntary village green registrations of five green spaces in the borough –  Land at Gooshays (Harold Hill), land at New Zealand Way (Rainham), land at Wennington Green (Wennington), land west of Taunton Road (Harold Hill) and land at Fleet Close Play Site (Upminster). 

Section 15(8) of the Commons Act 2006 enables the Council (London Borough of Havering wearing a different statutory hat) to apply to the regulatory authority to register land as a town or village green. Havering as the landowner with no leaseholder interest has no impediment to make the application.

The proposal contributes to physical, mental well-being and environmental benefits of residents, provides a safe and inexpensive place to exercise, enables residents to benefit from social interaction, can be a refuge from stress, provides a social space where people of different ages and from different backgrounds can come together, thereby promoting social inclusion.

A member welcomed the proposal noting that it is important that more green spaces are preserved in the borough. A question was asked about the cost of the proposal to the Council. Officers clarified that there is no direct financial implication, but there will be officers time spent in detailing the proposals to the Monitoring Officer. Officers confirmed that the report put forward has been reviewed from colleagues in Asset management, finance, and planning authority.

It was AGREED:

1. That Cabinet agreed to apply for the voluntary village green registration of the five pieces of open land considered in this report.

2.That Cabinet instruct officers to carry out all necessary actions to achieve successful registration as agreed in recommendation 1 above.

3. That Cabinet agreed the attached engagement and consultation process.