Issue - meetings

Report ES13068

Members considered the Green Chain Management Plan 2012-17 and an updated constitution for the Green Chain Joint Officer Working Party.

Noting that the Green Chain partnership was able to secure in excess of £750k from external sources over the past five years, Councillor Grainger sought further detail on how the funding had been used. Members were advised that some would have been used on measures such as completing an extension of the Green Chain Walk to Dulwich Park and improvements to the Walk. More detailed information could be provided on the improvements made.

Referring to the constitution for the Green Chain Joint Officer Working Party, Councillor Jefferys suggested that the aims of the Working Party include the wider health benefits of walking.

The Chairman wanted to be sure that the Green Chain management was aware of the Council’s aspirations to share funding of Crystal Palace Park with other London Boroughs bordering the park. Similar arrangements applied to the Wandle Valley Regional Park. The Chairman also referred to efficiencies such as printing literature on demand. He suggested that efficiencies already implemented in LBB should be recommended to the Green Chain management to achieve best use of public funds. Recruiting more volunteers along the lines of Bromley Friends was also suggested.

Some Members were concerned that the wording of paragraph 3.57 of the Management Plan could be open to mis-interpretation. It was felt that tailoring open space service provision to a particular ethnic community risked excluding others. It was indicated that the Green Chain Working Party was looking to make the Walk’s open spaces more inclusive. There could, for example, be specific walks or activities that might be attractive to a certain community group(s). It was also explained that a “more inclusive open space service provision” at paragraph 3.57 could apply to considerations such as signage.

Concerning paragraph 3.6 of the Management Plan, the Chairman supported L B Bromley remaining outside of the Joint Operational Fund for the Green Chain.

Councillor Grainger highlighted the precept paid to the Lee Valley Regional Park. The Portfolio Holder indicated that attempts were being made to repatriate the precept paid by L B Bromley and if this were successful the funding could be directed to Crystal Palace Park subject to agreement from the Crystal Palace Park Executive Project Board.

RESOLVED that the Portfolio Holder be recommended to:

(1) take account of the views of the Committee in agreeing the revised constitution of the Green Chain Joint Officer Working Party; and

(2) agree the 2012-17 Green Chain Management Plan subject to the Portfolio Holder forwarding the Committee’s comments above to Green Chain management including –

• L B Bromley remaining outside of the Joint Operational Fund for the Green Chain

·   the Council’s aspirations to share funding of Crystal Palace Park with other London Boroughs bordering the park 

·   a recommendation that efficiencies already implemented by LBB be recommended to the Green Chain management such as the printing of literature on demand.