Issue - meetings

To receive the report of the Chief Executive, Alexandra Palace, detailing:

·               Events calendar and update

·               Outdoor events paper

·               English Heritage capital repairs project

·               Measures post GLA elections update

Duncan Wilson – Chief Executive – introduced the report as set out:

Events update

·        The importance of new business was emphasised; performance with regards to bringing in new business was positive, but it was noted that new business performance was a challenge to maintain.

Draft Outdoor Events Strategy

·        It was suggested that, once complete, the strategy should be made available online to give potential event organisers and members of the public a better understanding of the basis on which events in the park would be considered.

·        Alternative wording was proposed for the second paragraph of the document by Colin Marr as follows: “The overall management of the Park is the responsibility of the executive of the Trust on behalf of the Trustees”. It was agreed that this amendment be made to the draft.

·        The Chair agreed to allow Gordon Hutchinson, Friends of Alexandra Park, to speak, at the request of the Board, and standing orders were suspended accordingly. Mr Hutchinson suggested that the strategy should explicitly acknowledge the particular challenges posed by the topography of the park, as well as the ecological and heritage assets which needed to be protected. The discussions regarding the draft strategy to date were felt to have been valuable.

·        There was a discussion regarding the need to balance the wish to establish prescriptive criteria for events, such as a specific maximum number of events of a certain size or nature per year, against the need to retain as much flexibility as possible. It was felt that there could be further discussion around this once the advice of the independent events consultant had been received.

·        It was suggested that the strategy should make it clear that event organisers would be required to comply with the ecological standards that had been set out by the Trust, on the basis of the expert advice the Trust had received.

·        It was confirmed that the income targets set out under section 8 represented realistic but challenging expectations.

·        It was agreed that the last sentence under section 10 (*The Park would be limited…) be omitted until the advice of the independent consultant was received.

·        It was agreed that information for Kenwood and Trent Park be incorporated into the comparison table.

·        The strategy would be promoted via direct contact with relevant promoters.

Fabric Repair Project

·        Work was scheduled to commence on site from the 18^th February; the focus of repairs would be the SW colonnades and the roofing of the derelict pavilion at the SE corner of the ice rink foyer. It was noted that confirmation of the grant from English Heritage had taken longer than anticipated.

·        An application for Listed Building Consent had been submitted for a number of fabric repair works.

Actions taken following GLA election count

·        The Board noted the response on this matter as set out in the report.

RESOLVED

i)             That the content of the report be noted.

ii)            That the advice of the Advisory and Consultative Committees, particularly with regard to the outdoor events  ...  view the full minutes text for item 269