Agenda and minutes

Please note that this meeting may be filmed or recorded by the Council for live or subsequent broadcast via the Council’s internet site or by anyone attending the meeting using any communication method. Although we ask members of the public recording, filming or reporting on the meeting not to include the public seating areas, members of the public attending the meeting should be aware that we cannot guarantee that they will not be filmed or recorded by others attending the meeting. Members of the public participating in the meeting (e.g. making deputations, asking questions, making oral protests) should be aware that they are likely to be filmed, recorded or reported on. 

By entering the meeting room and using the public seating area, you are consenting to being filmed and to the possible use of those images and sound recordings.

The chair of the meeting has the discretion to terminate or suspend filming or recording, if in his or her opinion continuation of the filming, recording or reporting would disrupt or prejudice the proceedings, infringe the rights of any individual or may lead to the breach of a legal obligation by the Council.

The Cabinet Member for Environment referred Members present to agenda Item 1 as shown on the agenda in respect of filming at this meeting, and Members noted the information contained therein.

The Leader/Cabinet Member will advise of any items they have decided to take as urgent business. (Late items of urgent business will be considered under the agenda item where they appear, new items of unrestricted urgent business will be considered at agenda item 5 and new items of exempt urgent business will be considered at agenda item 8.)

There were no items of urgent business.

There were no declarations of interest.

Report of the Assistant Director, Commercial and Operations, seeking determination of two applications made by Manning’s Amusements Ltd (1) to hire Finsbury Park over 17 days in April 2017 in order to stage an Easter funfair, and (2) a 9 day funfair over the summer half term in June 2017.

The Cabinet Member for Environment considered the report which sought determination of two applications made by Manning’s Amusements Ltd to hire Finsbury Park over 17 days in April 2017 in order to stage an Easter funfair and a 9 day funfair over the summer half term in June 2017.

The Cabinet Member noted that, if the applications were granted, this would be the 43^rd successive year that Manning’s has operated in the Park.

RESOLVED

i)             That the Cabinet Member for Environment note that no comments were received from recognised stakeholders of Finsbury Park in response to the event notifications being sent as part of the decision making process.

ii)            That the Cabinet Member for Environment authorise the Assistant Director – Commercial and Operations, to approve conditional in principle agreement to hire Finsbury Park to the event promoters for the events detailed in the report as set out in paragraph 6.4.

iii)           That the Cabinet Member for Environment agree that the conditions which are to be attached to any final approval of authority are as set out in the comments of the Assistant Director, Corporate Governance at paragraph 8.2.7 of the report.

Reasons for decision

Under the terms of the Policy, applications of the type detailed in this report are required to be determined with the prior agreement of the Cabinet Member.

If authority is given, then officers will give in principle agreement to the applicant for the event applications to progress. The events will then be subject to discussions with relevant authorities before final agreement is given.

The rejection of the applications would have implications for the Parks Service budget and reduce the opportunity for reinvestment into Finsbury Park (the Park) and other parks. It would also mean that the wider cultural and economic benefits to the borough were lost.

Alternative options considered

In adopting the Policy, the Council established its commitment to using the Park for a limited number of fairs each year. Accordingly, the only other alternative option which could be considered would be to reject the application. That option was rejected, on the grounds that the events did not fall within any of the grounds set out in paragraph 5.3 of the Policy for automatic refusal.

To consider any new items of unrestricted urgent business admitted under agenda item 2.

There were no new items of urgent business.

The following item is likely to be the subject of a motion to exclude the press and public from the meeting as it contains exempt information, as defined under Paragraph 3, Part 1, Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.

RESOLVED

That the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item as it contains exempt information as defined under Paragraph 3, Part 1, Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, namely information relating to the business or financial affairs of any individual, including the authority holding that information.

To consider exempt information in relation to agenda item 4.  

The Cabinet Member for Environment considered exempt information pertaining to the applications by Manning’s Amusements Ltd to hire Finsbury Park for an Easter and summer half term funfair 2017.

To consider any new items of exempt urgent business admitted under agenda item 2 above.

There were no new items of exempt urgent business.