Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Peacock, Stewart and Williams, Andrew Gill (Interim General Manager – Alexandra Palace, Mike Tarpey (Alexandra Palace Amateur Ice Skating Club), Denise Feeney (Muswell Hill and Fortis Green Association), Ciro Amoruso (The Grove Café), John Apperley (Alexandra Palace Organ Appeal), John Thompson and Nigel Willmott (Friends of the Alexandra Palace Theatre)

An apology for lateness were received  from Val Paley.

To note the Consultative Committee membership of the following Alexandra Palace and Park leaseholders:

i.          CUFOS (represented by Mr James Smith)

ii.         The Grove Café (represented by Mrs Carol Amoruso)

iii.        Vitrine Ltd - The Lakeside Café (represented by Mr Ahmet Yener)

The Alexandra Palace and Park Board approved the above groups’ applications for membership at its meeting on 14^th October 2010.

RESOLVED to note the membership of the following Alexandra Palace and Park leaseholders to the Consultative Committee:

i.          CUFOS

ii.         The Grove Café

iii.        Vitrine Ltd - The Lakeside Café

Committee Members were welcomed.

Members of the Committee are invited to disclose any interest they may have in any of the items appearing on this agenda.

Councillor Bob Hare declared a personal interest in item 7(i) – Presentations by Interested Groups as he was a member of the New River Action Group.

i)          Consultative Committee – 14^th September 2010

Following a discussion the Committee voted (10 for, 3 against and 1 abstention) and agreed that the following wording be added to minute APCC25 – Matters Raised by Interested Groups -  the discussion on UNESCO World Heritage Site recognition (pages 7 and 8 of the agenda pack):

“RESOLVED that, whilst there were differences in views on this item, the Board should consider the item after it had been to the Statutory Advisory Committee.”

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Alexandra Palace and Park Consultative Committee held on 14^th September 2010 be approved subject to the amendment agreed above.

ii)         Statutory Advisory Committee – 7^th September 2010

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Alexandra Park and Palace Statutory Advisory Committee held on 7^th September be noted.

iii)        Alexandra Palace and Park Board – 6^th September

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Alexandra Palace and Park Board held on 6^th September be noted.

The minutes of the Alexandra Palace and Park Board meeting held on 14^th October 2010 would be presented at the next meeting of the Consultative Committee.

To receive the report of the Managing Director, Alexandra Palace Trading Limited (APTL) advising the Consultative Committee on forthcoming events to the end of the financial year.

The Committee received the Forthcoming Events report introduced by Rebecca Kane, Managing Director, Alexandra Palace Trading Limited (APTL).

In response to questions it was noted that APTL staff were working hard to bring more events into the Palace including contacting a wide range of exhibition organisers (e.g. CAMRA Beer Festival) which had previously been hosted at the Palace.

It was noted that an event would be held to celebrate the opening of the Ice Rink in January 2011 and Mr O’ Callaghan agreed to liaise directly with the Managing Director – APTL, about a carol singing group that could perform for free at the Palace this Christmas.

RESOLVED to note the report.

Members of the Board to report back to the Committee on any relevant matters.

Feedback from the Alexandra Park and Palace Board

Park Byelaws Review

Val Paley (Palace View Residents Association) drew the Committee’s attention to APBO44 - minutes of the Alexandra Park and Palace Board meeting held on 6^th September 2010 (page 33 of the agenda pack) and highlighted that members would be given the opportunity to feed into the byelaws review.

Regeneration Working Group

Mr O’Callaghan referred to the membership of the Regeneration Working Group (Minute APBO43, page 31 of the agenda pack) and was informed by the Chair that the Working Group was an arms length committee that would report to the Board of Trustees and the Trustees would make any decisions. 

Two members expressed concerns that the Consultative Committee was not consulted on the terms of reference of the Regeneration Working Group.

The Managing Director – APTL explained that the newly formed Working Group was working up the process of how to fund and put together a master-plan, for recommendation to the Board of Trustees, plus a communications plan, which would enable consultation with stakeholders in 2011. 

The terms of reference state:

“The role of the Working Group will be in a non-decision making capacity and will report its findings and recommendations to the Alexandra Palace and Park Board (APPB) for its consideration.  The Working Group will oversee and give direction to the design, formulation and adoption of a sustainable regeneration strategy for Alexandra Park & Palace, and will include the delivery of a strategic master plan which will provide an integrated framework for future commercial and development delivery. The Working Group will report any findings or seek endorsement of the APPB via the Interim General Manager Alexandra Palace”

Members of the Regeneration Working Group were (with the option to recruit experts as required):

Niall Bolger (LB Haringey Director of Urban Environment)

Julie Parker (LB Haringey Director of Corporate Resources)

Mark Hopson (LB Haringey Regeneration Manager)

Andrew Gill (Alexandra Palace Charitable Trust – Interim General Manager)

Rebecca Kane (Managing Director – APTL)

Kumar Muthalagappan (Non-Executive Director APTL)

Rick Wills (Non-Executive Director – APTL)

To receive presentations by the following interested groups on the Committee:

i.          New River Action Group – Rachael MacDonald (to follow)

ii.         Hornsey Historical Society – Jacob Callaghan (to follow)

i.          New River Action Group  (NRAG)

The Committee received the presentation by Rachael MacDonald on the New River Action Group, which had lobbied successfully to stop the New River from closing 25 years ago. Further to questions from Committee Members a discussion took place and the following was noted:

The New River was self regulating; whilst there were pumping stations all along the 25 mile flowing river to extract water, water was also pumped back in, in a complete circle, as well as the river collecting rain water.

Thames Water allowed members of the public to walk along the New River although it was not a public right of way and was sometimes closed.  Local authorities through which the river runs were responsible for the maintenance of those sections of the river.

ii.         Hornsey Historical Society (HHS)

The Committee received the presentation by Jacob Callaghan on the Hornsey Historical Society, a registered charity to research and celebrate local history.

Further to questions it was noted that the Hornsey Historical Society took part in the recent Open House and other such events to ensure historical material was available for  consultations.

The Park Manager reported that he had joined the Hornsey Historical Society on behalf of the Alexandra Park and Palace Trust and he intended to work with the Society in order to maintain Alexandra Park’s Green Heritage Award.

RESOLVED to note the presentations.

To note the update on the external fabric condition of Alexandra Palace.

The Committee received the progress report on the external fabric condition of Alexandra Palace presented by John Barnett, Interim Facilities Management Consultant.  A discussion took place and the following was noted:

The 2005 detailed report by King Sturge LLP addressed all required repair works at a cost o £30 million whereas the progress report addressed only urgent external works at a cost of £756k and would not bring the Palace into first class condition. 

Priority for works would be given to health and safety, security and fire risks and to arresting and protecting the condition of the fabric of the building. The South Elevation adjacent to the Panorama Room was an area of particular concern and urgent repairs were underway. 

Temporary membrane had been installed on the roof at the back of the Theatre (Page 49 of the agenda pack) as a short term measure to prevent further weather damage.  The Asset Management Plan specifically included roof works.

Paragraph 7.1 of the report stated that the £500k capital grant for 2011/12 had been agreed in principle.  This meant that the Palace was required to go through the Capital Planning process and submit a further bid to the Council for the funds.

A Committee Member stated that a fundraising campaign or lottery funding was required.

The Committee welcomed the report and that it had been shared with the Committee.  It was noted that it helped interested group representatives to understand the position with regard to the Alexandra Palace building and they were now able to communicate the information to their relevant group members.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

There were no such items.

Governance - Consultative Committee Working Group

The Chair suggested that a Working Group be established to review the work of the Consultative Committee.  The Working Group would inform the Committee in its discussions about whether a joint committee should be established to see how the Advisory Committee and the Consultative Committee could work together in the future to streamline work and officer time.

RESOLVED that Gordon Hutchinson, Colin Marr, Jacob O’Callaghan, Colin Richell and Nigel Willmott sit on the Alexandra Palace and Park Consultative Committee Working Group to review the work of the Committee and consider whether it can be amalgamated with the Alexandra Park and Palace Advisory Committee.

Bespoke Code of Governance

A Member of the Committee expressed disappointment that the Bespoke Code of Governance report presented to the Statutory Advisory Committee on 2^nd November had not been presented to the Consultative Committee.  The Chair asked the Clerk to circulate the link to the Council’s website where this document can be found.

Schools Use of Park

In response to a question from a Member of the Committee about the cricket  ground being used by the new school, Mark Evison, Alexandra Park Manager, explained that he had not received any recent update on this proposal from the Alexandra Park Club, the leasholder of the cricket ground, or the school’s representatives. He explained that the income from hiring the parts of Newlands fields (whether to the school or not) would be welcomed, and indeed the area was used previously as football pitches

The Park Manager would provide updated information about the school’s use of the cricket ground, if any information was forthcoming.

Tuesday 8^th February 2011

Tuesday 12^th April 2011

The future dates were noted:  Tuesday 8^thFebruary 2011 and Tuesday 12^th April 2011.

The meeting ended at 21:15 hours.