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 meeting was not filmed.

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Elin Weston (Vice-Chair), Councillor Kirsten Hearn, and Jason Beazley.

The Chair will consider the admission of any late items of urgent business. (Late items will be considered under the agenda item where they appear. New items will be dealt with at item 11 below).

There was no urgent business.

There were no declarations of interest.

There were no questions, deputations, or petitions.

i.              To confirm the minutes of the Alexandra Palace and Park Board held on 24 January 2022 as an accurate record of the proceedings.

ii.            To note the minutes of the informal Alexandra Palace and Park Board meeting on the 15 March 2022.

1. To approve the minutes of the Alexandra Palace and Park meeting on 24 January 2022.

2. To note the minutes of the Alexandra Palace and Park meeting on 15 March 2022.

To approve the budget as recommended by the Board on 15 March 2022.

The CEO gave a finance update, which highlighted:

-     The Trust was at risk of going into deficit. This was at present manageable, and the Trust was in regular discussion with the Corporate Trustee. Presently there were sufficient reserves, these would be bolstered through the implementation of the new car parking system.

The following responses to questions were provided:

-     It was thought that the new car parking system would increase revenue. The figures that the Trust had put forward were considered conservative, which factored in staffing costs. The Trust was confident that the figure would increase over time, offsetting concerns around the deficit; and

-     It was acknowledged that the current situation in Ukraine would result in further energy increases. These increases would impact the Trust. This impact was minimised through the investment in Salix lighting. The upcoming sustainability audit, from Julie’s Bicycle, would also cover potential immediate and strategical cost savings.

RESOVLED

To approve the budget as recommended by the Board on 15 March 2022.

To approve the proposal to create Pétanque Courts on land adjacent to the Lower Road, East as recommended by the Board on 15 March 2022.

The CEO went through the pétanque courts proposal, which had been discussed at length at the previous meeting on 15 March 2022.

The following responses to questions were provided:

-     Trustees were informed that the issues around drainage in the location of the proposed courts had been mostly resolved since an intervention from Thames Water; and 

-     The courts were of low impact to existing surroundings. It was noted that a pathway was accessible to the side of the courts, meaning it would not be necessary to create new pathways.

RESOVLED

At the end of the item, the recommendations for this report are to approve the proposal to create Pétanque Courts on land adjacent to the Lower Road, East as recommended by the Board on 15 March 2022.

To approve the proposal to appoint two Youth Trustee Board members as recommended by the Board on 15 March 2022.

The CEO highlighted that the Board meeting on 15 March the proposal of adding Youth Trustees to the Board had been recommended for approval.

The following responses to questions were provided:

-     The recruitment, support, and safeguarding process would be brought back to the new board;

-     The proposal was aimed to meet required governance improvements in order to access certain funding streams;

-     A Trustee suggested that youth groups from the creative network be invited to join the Consultative Committee. The CEO had agreed with this position; herself and the Head of Creative Learning had been in discussions around how youth groups could reinvigorate the resident and interested stakeholder groups. It was highlighted that several of these groups on the Consultative Committee and Statutory Advisory Committee no longer met the requirements for committee membership as set out in the Alexandra Park and Palace Acts 1900-1985. It was felt that it was important to balance current stakeholder investment while meeting the requirements for memberships of these committees. Pertinent requirements were (quoting verbatim from the act page 8 section 9):

o   the association shall have a written constitution;

o   the association shall require an annual subscription from its members;

o   the association shall meet regularly; and  

o   the constitution of the association shall provide for elections of its officers.

-     Trustees were supportive of the proposal.

RESOVLED

To approve the proposal to appoint two Youth Trustee Board members as recommended by the Board on 15 March 2022.

To approve the Board Forward Plan.

The CEO set out the Forward Plan. Several actions were agreed:

-     To delay the workshop for the members (Action: Executive Assistance);

-     To seek feedback from current members on being a Trustee (Action: Executive Assistance);

-     To talk with the Chief Whips asking for a minimum four-year term for Trustees, this was to ensure stability and continuity among Trustees (Action: Executive Assistance).

RESOVLED

To approve the Board Forward Plan.

To consider any items of urgent business.

None received.

Items 13, 14, and 15 are likely to be subject of a motion to exclude the press and public from the meeting as they contain exempt information as defined in Section 100a of the Local Government Act 1972; Para 1 – information relating to any individual, Para 2 – Information which is likely to reveal the identity of an individual,  Para 3 - information relating to the business or financial affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information), and Para 5 – Information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings.

RESOLVED

That the press and public be excluded for the consideration of agenda items 13-15 as they contained exempt information as defined in Section 100a of the Local Government Act 1972; Para 1 – information relating to any individual, Para 2 – Information which is likely to reveal the identity of an individual,  Para 3 – information relating to the business or financial affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information), and Para 5 – Information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings.

RESOVLED

To approve the exempt minutes of 24 January 2022 and to note the minutes of the informal meeting held on 15 March 2022.

RESOLVED

To note the additional exempt information relating to the report at item 8.

There was no other exempt business.