Agenda and draft 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 Chair advised that the meeting was being filmed and recorded, and attendees noted this information.

Apologies for absence were received from Val Paley and Councillors da Costa and Mahbub.

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 items 16 & 23)

There were no items of urgent business.

None.

None.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 13 December 2022.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 13 December 2022 be approved as a correct record, subject to the following amendments:

-       Attendance to be amended to make clear who were Members and non-Members

-       Item 5, last bullet point of Mr Jenkins’ deputation to be amended to read:

“Mr Jenkins expressed that if the board decided Little Dinosaurs could not indefinitely remain, which was his preferred choice, he sought a much improved term than 2027 to allow for a properly managed exit (which 2027 certainly would not).”

To note any verbal updates from the observer and co-opted Board Members.

Nigel Willmott reported back on the discussion following the Consultative Committee workshop held in January 2023 and advised that there would be some short term changes such as annual reporting, and looking forward to the year ahead and making it clearer on how people could raise items at a meeting.

Councillor Collett introduced the report which recommended approval of the Risk Management Policy at agenda item 15, the Risk Management Policy at exempt item 20 and the Health and Safety Policy Statement at agenda item 9.

RESOLVED

i.             To note the feedback from FRRAC;

ii.            To approve the Risk Management Policy at agenda item 14 and the 2023-24 Strategic Risk Register at agenda item 20;

iii.           To approve the Health and Safety Policy Statement for signing by the Chief Executive, the Chair of the Trustee Board, and the Chair of the APTL Board.

Emma Dagnes, Chief Executive Officer, introduced the report as set out.

Actions:

-       Reports to be made clearer around which Creative Learning activities were funded and which were paid for

-       Feedback to be provided on the Area 51 project

-       Biblio-Buzz engagement data to be shared with the Board

RESOLVED

i.              To note the content of the report.

ii.            To consider and approve the Health & Safety Policy Statement at Appendix 2, for signing by the Trust and APTL Chairs and the CEO.

Richard Paterson (RP), Director of Finance and Resources, introduced the report as set out.  RP advised that recommendation ii ‘to approve the 2023/24 budget’ had been withdrawn from the report, as the budget was not ready to be tabled at the meeting as some remodelling of figures was required following the Government’s Budget announcement.

RP & ED responded to questions from the Board:

-       Car park charging project: the planning decision was due to be issued by the end of the week.  If successful, then there would be a 6-8 week implementation period.

-       The forecast 2022/23 outcome was not expected to change in the final accounts.

-       Capital projects were still on track.

RESOLVED to note the year to date position of the Trust.

Emma Dagnes (ED), Chief Executive Officer, introduced the report as set out.  ED advised that Go Ape had previously invested more than £1m in the high ropes course and were proposing the addition of a mini Land Rover adventure to diversify participation.  The Trust had requested that Go Ape consider installing a composting toilet within the area, in line with the Trust’s sustainability strategy and targets.

NOTED in response to questions from the Board:

-       Children under a certain age and height would have to be accompanied by an adult to participate in the activity.

-       The vehicles, used by Go Ape at other locations, were electric and were very quiet.

-       The Trust would have an allocation of tickets for distribution via the Creative Learning team to young people in the Borough.

-       The vehicles were not as large as they looked in the proposal document. Post meeting note: the size of the vehicles would be – 327mm high (603mm with windscreen) and 1783mm long.

-       The pricing strategy had not yet been confirmed, however, the average price was £8.

RESOLVED

i.             To approve the proposal by Alexandra Park leaseholder, Go Ape, for a new mini-Land Rover activity, subject to planning permission and consideration of any advice or feedback from the Advisory and Consultative Committees.

ii.         To delegate authority to the Chief Executive to negotiate a suitable lease agreement subject to satisfactory Charities Act Report and proposed ecological development plan, and;

iii.        To authorise the Council’s legal officer to seal the lease, at the appropriate time.

Emma Dagnes, Chief Executive Officer, introduced the report as set out. 

It was agreed that the appointment of a Lead Member for environmental sustainability would be deferred until after the Council’s AGM in May.

RESOLVED to note the content of the report.

Richard Paterson, Director of Finance and Resources, introduced the report as set out.  It was noted that the Risk Register had been reviewed to be more user friendly, and was regularly considered by the FRRAC.

It was noted that there would be a workshop for Board Members on 3^rd May in relation to risk management.

RESOLVED

i.              To approve the Risk Management Policy at Appendix 1 of the report;

ii.            To approve the 2023-24 Strategic Risk Register at exempt agenda item 19;

iii.           To agree the date of a Risk Management trustee development session in May 2023 (3^rd May), and note that this will include revision of the Trust’s Risk Appetite statement.

RESOLVED to note the 2023/24 Forward Plan.

RESOLVED to note the decisions tracker.

None.

To be confirmed following approval of the 2023/24 calendar of meetings at Full Council.

Noted.

Items 19-23 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 to exclude the press and public for the consideration of agenda items 19-23 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.

To confirm the exempt minutes of the meeting held on 13 December 2022.

RESOLVED that the exempt minutes of the meeting held on 13 December 2022 be approved as a correct record.

The exempt information was noted.

The exempt information was noted.

RESOLVED to note the feedback from the APTL Board.

None