| Parks minutes 3 February 2010 |
AMPTHILL TOWN COUNCILREPORT OF PARKS AND OPEN SPACES COMMITTEE MEETING held in the Council Chamber at the Council Offices, 66 Dunstable Street, Ampthill on Wednesday 3rd February 2010 at 7.30 pm Present: Cllrs Mrs M Wilson (Chairman), Mrs S Bacon, R A D Chappell, P Duckett, P Eversley, Mrs P Foster, R Holden, G Pascal, G Summerfield, R Tebbutt, Mrs M Wright and the Clerk. Also present were Bob Holland Greensand Trust, David Cooper and Shaun Coe, Park Keepers and one member of the public. Report 04/2009
Cllr M Smith sent apologies as he is unwell.
Cllr G Summerfield declared a personal interest in the matter of the Friday Night music event as he is a member of the Festival Committee Cllr R Tebbutt declared a personal interest in the matter of the Friday Night music event as he is a member of the Proms Committee.
There were no prejudicial interests declared.
There were no requests to speak.
There are no matters arising from the Clerk to report.
Members had been provided with a copy of the report as appended to these minutes. A few matters were raised as follows:
Wildlife areas to be left David Cooper, Park Keeper provided Members with a map of the Park with the area highlighted that he wished to see left as a Wildlife area (as appended to these minutes). David advised that the area would receive a hard cut in March and then be left until September. Mr Reynolds, local farmer, will then bail and take away the hay at his own cost. Pathways would be cut to maintain access throughout the season. David was thanked for presenting his idea. It was then: Recommended that: i) This plan is accepted. ii) A note to explain the plan is to be placed in the parks notice boards and in Around the Pump. Weed Spraying of Maggs Field. Members were concerned about any chemicals being used to spray would find their way into the water course and ultimately Westminster Pond. Members were advised that by law spraying can not be carried out within 10 metres of a water course and be done on a day with no wind. Recommended that the footpath be used as a demarcation for weed control with the northern end (furthest away from Westminster Pond) being chemically weed sprayed and the southern end cleared by biological methods such as grazing.
Bob Holland presented the five year plan drawn up for the Park as appended to these minutes. This plan is to be used to support an application for funding via the Heritage and Conservation HLS grant scheme and will be part of the package along with a Farm Environmental Plan ecological consultation being drawn up by Phil Irving (Greensand Trust) and Historic Environment consultation completed by Hannah Firth (Central Bedfordshire). Consultation and grants are expected by June 2010. Under the scheme there will be grants available to cut the grass in the area around the park but it would have to be carried out in a prescriptive manner with a rotary cutter rather than a flail. The key thing with the grant is timing of project delivery; ongoing talks will be needed with the Council and Park Staff. The Ampthill Park Management Advisory Committee will receive greater detail at their meeting on 15th February. Bob Holland was thanked for his presentation.
There has been no response from the Lions and therefore the Committee may wish to consider paying for the printing. Members considered this matter before it was: Recommended that: i) The Clerk orders 1000 leaflets at the cost of £335.00. ii) A copy of the leaflet is to be placed as a tear off page at the back of an Around the Pump edition. iii) An item is to be placed on the Town Council agenda to discuss the launch of the Woolnough Trail. 9. To discuss the Dog Day out assuming correspondence with an update has been received. Correspondence had been received from Lorna Walker (Greensand Trust) to advise that the Dog Walkers Group were unhappy with the Town Council’s letter and felt that the regulations placed on the event are unachievable and therefore they have decided not to hold this year’s event. Cllr G Summerfield advised that he had been approached by one of the Dog Walkers Group who said that the Group feel aggrieved that they are being asked to pay for use of the park when all profits raised are put back into park. It was asked whether the Town Council can reconsider the charge providing that all profits come to the Town Council to do with as they see fit. It would be difficult to provide any further facilities for dogs. Recommended that a meeting is held with the Dog Walking Group to discuss this matter further. The letter also enquired as to whether Pet Au Pair were to be asked to pay for using the park. The Clerk advised that no advice of this sort had been given. 8.35pm Standing Orders were suspended to allow Shaun Coe Park Keeper, to address the Council about Pet Au Pair now using the Flitwick Manor Park. 8.36pm Standing Orders were resumed.
This item had been placed on the agenda following the presentation from the Festival Committee at the last Town Council meeting. Recommended that permission be granted to hold the event subject to the usual conditions of use of the Park.
This information was noted.
Cllr Mrs S Bacon gave a number of questions that she wants answers to in relation to the sub letting to the nursery as follows:
Cllr H Chappell advised that Ampthill Football Club is a very old club going back 150 years and provides a valuable community facility for the youth in the Town. Historically there had been financial difficulties with the Football Club maintaining enough revenue to pay their rent; therefore the Town Council took back the Club House and now rent it back to the Football Club. There is not enough revenue coming in without the nursery to pay the rent and the overheads. Cllr Mrs Wright advised that the Town Council have let the building to the Football Club and legally there is nothing to stop the Football Club sub letting. Recommended that: i) A meeting of the Football Club Working Group is held to discuss this matter. ii) The report from this meeting is to be placed as a separate item on the next available Town Council meeting and the Football Club are to be invited to come and address the Council.
Cllr R Tebbutt provided members with a copy of his written proposal as follows: “To install a Car Parking Scheme in the West Car Park” Parkeon Strada (or equivalent) Cost new £ 2,700 Installation £ 480 Yearly maintenance £ 500 (after 1st year) Projected income £10,000 The machine will provide a printed ticket which could carry ATC logo/or GST/or advertising and would have to be emptied twice/three times a week. Members discussed this matter and felt more research would need to be carried out on how the money could be collected and by whom. Recommended that this matter be invested as part of the Visitor Centre Project.
i) Fieldwork December 2009. ii) Central Bedfordshire Play Rangers Notice of attendance in the park during half term and will be playing disc golf, there is no use of golf balls in this game. iii) Central Bedfordshire 20mph speed limit in Woburn Street. Details of a scheme to reduce the speed limit along Woburn Street for a length of approximately 100 metres which extends from the west of Park Hill in a westerly direction. Recommended that the Council support this action.
“That in view of the confidential nature of the business about to be transacted relating to staff matters, it is advisable in the public interest that the public and press be temporarily excluded and that they are instructed to withdraw”
This minute is appended for members only. There being no further business the meeting closed at 9.26pm CHAIRMAN DATED
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