Agenda and minutes

Venue: Aix en Provence Room - Guildhall, Bath. View directions

Contact: Marie Todd  01225 394414

Items
No. Item

23.

WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS

Minutes:

The chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.

24.

EMERGENCY EVACUATION PROCEDURE

The Chair will draw attention to the emergency evacuation procedure as set out on the Agenda.

Minutes:

The Democratic Services Officer explained the emergency evacuation procedure.

25.

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND SUBSTITUTIONS

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Sujata McNab.

26.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

At this point in the meeting declarations of interest are received from Members in any of the agenda items under consideration at the meeting. Members are asked to indicate:

(a) The agenda item number in which they have an interest to declare.

(b) The nature of their interest.

(c) Whether their interest is a disclosable pecuniary interest or an other interest,  (as defined in Part 2, A and B of the Code of Conduct and Rules for Registration of Interests)

Any Member who needs to clarify any matters relating to the declaration of interests is recommended to seek advice from the Council’s Monitoring Officeror a member of his staff before the meeting to expedite dealing with the item during the meeting.

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

27.

TO ANNOUNCE ANY URGENT BUSINESS AGREED BY THE CHAIR

The Chair will announce any items of urgent business accepted since the agenda was prepared under the Access to Information provisions.

Minutes:

The Chair had agreed one urgent item of business regarding the installation of a stamp at Alice Park.  Details of the proposals had been circulated to members.

 

The project is being set up in conjunction with the Council’s Active Lifestyles Team to help to encourage families to make good use of the parks and to be out and active.  Since the pilot project phase over the summer there has been a good deal of interest in the project and this proposal aims to extend and improve it.  There are also plans to locate stamps in nearby locations such as Larkhall Rec, Kensington Meadows and Batheaston so this would link in well with Alice Park.

 

RESOLVED: To agree to the installation of a stamp in Alice Park.

28.

ITEMS FROM THE PUBLIC - TO RECEIVE DEPUTATIONS, STATEMENTS, PETITIONS OR QUESTIONS

Minutes:

There were two public speakers:

 

·  Sally Kinnes spoke about her plans to start a tennis league in Bath.  Alice Park would be used as part of a hub and members of the league would play in different venues around the city.  It was hoped that the league would start in June.  Sub-Committee members were very supportive of this venture.

 

·  Tony Hickman spoke about the proposed increase in fees and charges.  He felt that the proposed increase relating to charities was excessive.  He was concerned that small events could be discouraged by these charges.

29.

MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING pdf icon PDF 77 KB

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 30 October 2017.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 30 October 2017 were confirmed and signed as a correct record.

30.

UPDATE ON ACTIVITIES REGARDING ALICE PARK

The Chair will give an update on activities that have taken place regarding Alice Park since the last meeting.

Minutes:

The Chair gave an update on various activities that had taken place since the last meeting.

 

·  The Chair had met with officers and, on another occasion, with Cllr Rob Appleyard, in Alice Park to discuss the skatepark proposals.

 

·  He had also met with Chris Garrett from the Bath League for Boules to discuss the possible extension of the boules area.

 

·  He had met with James Dean from the lawn tennis team to discuss future opportunities relating to tennis in the park.

 

·  He hoped to meet soon with the descendants of HM Macvicar to discuss the possibility of erecting a flagpole in the park which would be flown at half-mast on Alice Macvicar’s birthday.  Further details will be brought to a future meeting.

31.

FEES AND CHARGES UPDATE pdf icon PDF 77 KB

To consider a report by the Team Manager, Parks and Bereavement Services.  The Sub-Committee is asked to agree the charging policy and rates for events in Alice Park for 2018/19 to ensure a consistent approach and maximisation of income to the Trust.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Sub-Committee considered a report which requested members to consider the charging policy and rates for events in Alice Park for 2018/19 to ensure a consistent approach and maximisation of income to the Trust.

 

Mark Cassidy, Team Manager, Parks and Bereavement Services, explained that he had contacted park users and discussed acceptable charge rates to be paid to the Trust.  Officers had also carried out a benchmarking exercise to compare rates with those of similar areas.  The proposal was to accept the same fees and charges policy as B&NES Council but the Trust has discretion to set different rates if it wishes.

 

Cllr Patterson stated that she did not wish rates to be set so high that organisers of community and charity events were put off using the park.

 

Cllr Appleyard proposed that a working group should be set up to consider and put forward specific rates for the Alice Park Trust which were clear and transparent.  He proposed that until this work had been completed that the rates remain the same as last year.  This proposal was not seconded.

 

Cllr Norton stressed the need to attract both commercial and community/charity events and felt that the proposed rate for charities was too high.  He proposed that the officer recommendations be agreed with the exception of the hire rate for a charity event which should be set at £200.  This was seconded by Cllr Ward.

 

The motion was then put to the vote and it was RESOLVED by 2 votes in favour and 1 against:

 

(1)  To adopt the B&NES rate card in 2018/19 with the exception of the event hire rate for charities which should be set at £200.

 

(2)  To agree that discretionary amendments to hire charges may be agreed between the Alice Park Trust chairman and the Parks Manager from time to time.

 

(3)  To agree the basic principle of applying charges to anyone making financial gain from goods and services provided within Alice Park with the exception of nurseries and schools.

 

(4)  To agree that football, rugby and fitness hire charges be set as detailed in paragraph 3.1 of the report.

 

(5)  To agree that Alice Park tennis income continues to be collected by the Café concession whilst an alternative proposal is worked up to link with investment in improving the facilities.

 

32.

ALICE PARK INVESTMENTS pdf icon PDF 70 KB

To consider a report by the Group Accountant requesting the Sub-Committee to review all financial investments held on behalf of the Alice Park Trust and to decide how those that have expired should be invested.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Sub-Committee considered a report which asked members to review all financial investments held on behalf of the Alice Park Trust and to decide how those that have expired should be invested.

 

RESOLVED: To continue with the current cash fund investments held by the Alice Park Trust in the Charities Official Investment Fund (COIF).

33.

SKATE PARK DESIGN AND LEASEHOLD ARRANGEMENTS pdf icon PDF 102 KB

To consider a report by the Team Manager, Parks and Bereavement Services, regarding the proposed installation of a skatepark in Alice Park.

Minutes:

The Sub-Committee considered a report which requested clarification regarding the amount of the design budget for the skatepark in Alice Park, its specific location and footprint size.

 

The Chair referred to past discussions on the skatepark including the 27 March 2017 meeting when Cllr Appleyard had proposed that the Sub-Committee request the Council to allocate £70k, of the £97k provisionally approved to provide a skate park facility.  The remaining balance totalling approximately £30k could then be allocated to provide improvements to other facilities within the park such as children’s play equipment.

 

He also drew members’ attention to the Cabinet member decision to release the funds for the skatepark project which had been agreed on 18 September 2017:

 

The Cabinet Member for Development & Neighbourhoods and the Cabinet Member for Finance and Efficiency fully approve the capital budget totalling £97K for the development of a skate park at Alice Park, and for further capital improvements in the park’s facilities if this can be accommodated within the allocated budget.

 

The Chair then stated that despite many meetings, discussion and resolutions over a protracted period, there remains a dispute on the parameters and basis by which the skatepark is to be developed in Alice Park.  He moved the following proposal which aimed to clarify the necessary parameters so that officers are able to make progress on this new development:

 

1.  That the location of the proposed skate park will be within the fenced play area at the south west corner of the park.

 

2.  It will be designed with starters in mind and be no more than 200m2 area.

 

3.  That the Sub Committee wishes to exercise its right to accommodate "other park improvements in facilities" from the £97K allocated the Skate Park.  (See the Cabinet member decision above).

 

4.  The wording of the Cabinet members' decision on allocating the funds is acknowledged and the Sub Committee will allocate £25K of the fund to "other park improvements", the nature of which is to be agreed in consultation with park users and decided at a subsequent meeting.

 

This proposal was seconded by Cllr Norton.

 

Mark Cassidy, Team Manager, Parks and Bereavement Services, explained that officers required clarification on the parameters to avoid wasting funds or officer and contractor time on this project.

 

Cllr Norton stated that he felt the motion provided the necessary clarity.  He was happy with the proposed site location as this would be further away from residential areas.

 

Paul Hooper stated that a specific height should be specified for the skatepark.  He also expressed concern about disclosing the funds available to potential contractors.  Mark Cassidy explained that this was the usual procedure under a design and build contract.

 

Cllr Patterson queried whether the proposed location had been discussed with prospective skatepark users.  She had concerns about the health and safety implications of locating the facility closer to an area where younger children would be playing.  She also felt that the area was too small for a skatepark.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 33.

34.

FORWARD WORK PLAN pdf icon PDF 37 KB

To consider the forward work plan for the Alice Park Trust Sub-Committee and to amend as necessary.

Minutes:

The Sub-Committee noted the forward work plan and suggested that the following items be added to the plan:

 

·  Use of the area around the café

·  Pest control

·  Pond area

·  Men’s sheds

35.

FUTURE MEETING DATES

To consider setting meeting dates for the remainder of 2018 as follows:

 

Monday 4, 11, 18 or 25 June 2018

Monday 8, 15, 22 or 29 October 2018

Minutes:

It was agreed that the Democratic Services Officer would consult members via email regarding future meeting dates.