Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Peacock and Stewart, Gordon Hutchinson (Friends of Alexandra Park), Denise Feeney (Muswell Hill and Fortis Green Association), Mike Tarpey (Amateur Ice Skating Club), Ciro Amoruso (The Café), Ken Ranson (Bounds Green and District Residents’ Association), James Smith (CUFOS).

Apologies for lateness were received from Councillor Strickland and Nigel Willmott (Friends of Alexandra Palace Theatre).

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

There were no declarations of interest.

i.          Alexandra Palace and Park Consultative Committee -  16^th November 2010

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Consultative Committee held on 16^th November 2010 be agreed.

ii.         Alexandra Park and Palace Advisory Committee – 2^nd November 2011

RESOLVED that the draft minutes of the Advisory Committee held on 2^nd November 2010 be noted.  The minutes of the 25^th January 2011 would be provided at the next meeting.  It was noted that the minutes were published on the Council’s website.

iii.        Alexandra Palace and Park Board

RESOLVED that the draft minutes of the meetings of the Alexandra Palace and Park Board held on 14^th October and 30^th November be noted.

In relation to Page 32 of the agenda pack, Alexandra Palace and Park Board minutes – 30^th November, which stated that “Councillor Hare highlighted that the Interim General Manager, Alexandra Palace and Park and the Managing Director – APTL should work together to ensure mutual agreement of the style guidelines.  The Managing Director APTL stated that all necessary parties would be consulted on the style guidelines”, Colin Marr (Alexandra Park and Palace Conservation Area Advisory Committee) and Jacob O’Callaghan (Hornsey Historical Society) expressed serious concerns that the Consultative Committee had not been given the opportunity to consider the style guidelines.Ms Kane commented that the style guidelines had not yet been produced and that she would be consulting with the Interim General Manager as agreed at the previous meeting.

To receive presentations by the following interested groups:

i.    Alexandra Palace and Park Conservation Area Advisory Committee – Mr C. Marr (attached)

ii.   Alexandra Palace Residents’ Association – Ms C. Hayter(to follow)

The Committee received the presentation by Colin Marr, Chairman of the Alexandra Park and Palace Conservation Area Advisory Committee (APPCAAC) (pages 35 & 36 of the agenda pack).

The APPCAAC had been particularly concerned to object to planning proposals that had a negative impact on views from the Park. The Chair objected to the suggestion that the APPCAAC took planning matters related to the surrounding areas of Alexandra Park more seriously than the Alexandra Palace and Park Board .There was a discussion about planning consultation and it was noted that the Trust’s Solicitor had previously advised that the Board had no remit to comment on matters outside the Park boundary. Some members questioned the validity of this advice.

Mr Marr mentioned that there would be further opportunity for the Board to respond to Railtrack’s proposed Train Shed at Hornsey in March 2011.

Further to questions the Committee noted that the APPCAAC remit was to help ensure that all developments in and around the Park and Palace either enhanced or protected it in terms of conservation.  The APPCAAC was made up of volunteers including experts in relevant areas who met ad hoc and did much of its work via electronic mail.

RESOLVED to note the presentation.

The presentation on the Alexandra Palace Residents’ Association was deferred.

To receive the report of the Park Manager, Alexandra Palace, updating the Consultative Committee on events and works within the park.

The Committee received the report of the Park Manager, Mark Evison, updating on Park activities.

In response to a question regarding car park charging – data collection (paragraphs 7.1 - 7.3)  the Committee noted that the collection of data included measuring lorries using the roads and car parks in the Park and there was currently a weight limit imposed.  Some Committee Members expressed concern that users might be deterred from using the Park if parking charges were put in place and that the charges might displace cars into nearby streets.  The Committee noted it would be possible to suspend car parking in particular areas for specific events and that there were no actual proposals for car park charging at this point although dialogues with the Council had opened.  Any proposals would be subject to consultation with local residents and the Council but this was an opportunity to generate some much needed revenue for the Palace.

In response to questioning on paragraph 8.4 the Committee noted that all Park Tenants had been reminded that their leases would be vigorously enforced.

A Committee Member expressed some worry about the recent serious assaults on users of the Park.  The Interim General Manager reported that he had been liaising with Metropolitan Police and colleagues in Haringey Council and had advised that the Police had arrested and charged a man for the offences a few days ago.   A Committee Member suggested that warning signs should have been displayed in the Park.  The Interim General Manager explained that until evidence of the attacks had been confirmed it was not possible for the Palace to communicate any information as it might not have been correct. Additional security and police patrols (including high visibility police patrols on horseback and with dogs and undercover patrols) had been implemented in the Park during the investigation.

A Committee Member highlighted that more community events should be held in the Park and agreed to provide the Park Manager with contact details for the organisers of the Muswell Hill Festival.

In response to a question about whether young trees in the Park which had been chewed by dogs could be replaced the Committee noted that there was a long term tree planting plan in place although there were limited funds for the plan.

RESOLVED to note the report.

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 report of the Managing Director, Alexandra Palace Trading Limited, Rebecca Kane who reported that the full schedule for the next financial year would be presented at the next meeting and that 65% of all events anticipated in the year ahead had already been contracted.

Members could log on to the Alexandra Palace website to see a full range of events as and when they go on sale using the link below:

http://www.alexandrapalace.com/whats-on/

The Committee’s attention was drawn to the Jazz event on 27^th February in Palm Court.  Jazz music would be played in Palm Court from 5.30pm until the closing of the Phoenix Bar.

The Committee noted that the ice rink re-launch had been a success with strong trading results in the first two weeks of opening.

In response to concerns raised about the derelict parts of the Palace building the Interim General Manager stated that he hoped that the Capital bid to the Council by the Charitable Trust would be awarded and it would contribute towards the required repairs.

RESOLVED to note the report.

To receive a report updating on Governance and the Future Vision of Alexandra Palace.

The Committee received the report on the Governance and Future Vision Update, introduced by the Interim General Manager, Alexandra Palace, Andrew Gill.

Further to a comment about the importance of the appointment of Independent Advisors to the Board, the Chair emphasised the importance of the Consultative Committee, seconded by Councillor Hare.  A Committee Member highlighted the need for the Trust to consult with the relevant stakeholders in considering the future governance of the Palace.

The Committee noted that recruitment for the appointment of Independent Advisors may be similar to the process used for the recruitment of Non-Executive Directors for the Trading Company, although the process had not yet started.

In response to questions the Interim General Manager reported that the bespoke Code of Governance was a working document incorporating the 2005 NCVCO Code of Good Governance and the Haringey members Code of Conduct to form the Trustee handbook.  It was noted that the NCVCO Code allowed for organisations to state which elements of the Code they did not comply with, it was common for organisations not to comply totally with the all aspects of the Code.

RESOLVED to note the report.

To receive the reports further to the meetings of the Working Group, which met to consider the possibility of joint meetings between the Alexandra Park and Palace Statutory Advisory Committee and the Alexandra Palace and Park Consultative Committee, and consider the recommendations.

The Committee received the reports of the working groups of the Statutory Advisory and Consultative Committees.  The Chair thanked Colin Marr and the working group members for the speed and efficiency with which they had worked.

In response to questions raised about the size of the joint meeting it was noted that working group members felt this would be manageable (with good chairing and agenda management). Such a joint meeting would be in two parts with an open discussion on agenda items first and a Statutory Advisory Committee (SAC)  session following (chaired by the SAC Chair) for any voting matters.  Where there would be duplicate representatives from an organisation decisions would need to be taken to agree that only one member sat at the meeting.

It was reported that at its meeting on 25^th January 2011 the Statutory Advisory Committee agreed that Model 1 should be trialled and that the Board should explore Model 2 as a longer term aspiration and the Interim General Manager, Alexandra Palace was tasked with investigating the legalities and practicalities of having a single Statutory Advisory and Consultative Committee.

The Committee acknowledged that following each of the trial joint meetings discussions would take place to review the process.    The Chair stated that he did not envisage Trustees being voting members of the reconstituted Statutory Advisory and Consultative Committee (SACC) (Model 2 on Page 65 of the agenda pack) and Colin Marr stated that their presence at meetings could assist discussions.  Councillor Hare emphasised that local residents and users should be the future members of the SACC.  Councillor Scott highlighted that the advantage of such a joint committee would be that all interested parties would be in the same room to hear each other’s views thus improving communications and reducing officer time. 

The Committee noted that should the joint meeting be formalised there would be a recommendation to hold an Annual General Meeting for other stakeholders to get involved.

RESOLVED

i.          That Model 1, a Joint Statutory Advisory and Consultative Committee, be supported and that two trial meetings take place, the first one taking place on 5^th April 2011.

ii.         That Model 2 be supported in principle and recommended to the Board.

iii.        That the Interim General Manager be asked to investigate the practicalities of having a single Statutory Advisory and Consultative Committee and seek legal and Charity Commission advice.

Issues/questions should be submitted in advance of the meeting.

There were no advance items received and agreed by the Chair.

Alexandra Palace and Park – Branding

Mr Marr requested the background to, and the brief for Colliers International/ Locum Consulting for the work they had been commissioned to do by the Alexandra Palace and Park Regeneration Working Group (APPRWG).  The Interim General Manager informed the Committee that a report would be provided to the Alexandra Palace and Park Board at its meeting on 15^th February 2011 including this information, which would then be in the public domain.

Some Members of the Committee expressed dissatisfaction that there had been no consultation on the new corporate identity/ branding and signage project for Alexandra Palace and Park. It was understood that there was a need to replace the signage on site for various reasons.  Some members of the interested groups expressed that they felt the new brand gave a corporate identity (as opposed to a charity) and the impression that the Palace was a party venue.

Officers explained that £30,000 had been ring-fenced for new signage in the Park this financial year and that stakeholders were consulted on branding as part of the Governance and Future Vision project in 2009/2010; and that the design brief for the new identity emerged directly from the brand vision to which they contributed.   Any signage requiring planning permission would be subject to consultation.  Officers confirmed that the Board had approved the new brand and that it was being actively used by all Palace and Park staff;  the detailed style guidelines regarding its wider application (e.g. on signage) are in draft form. 

Councillor Scott highlighted that modernisation was required in order to meet the Disability Discrimination Act obligations as well as for style reasons to give users a confidence in the venue and commended the Palace and Park management team for the work on the project.

Advertisement of Meetings

The Committee noted Jacob O’Callaghan’s suggestion that meetings should be advertised on the Palm Court notice board and Cllr Strickland’s suggestion that Members of the Consultative Committee would be more effective in promoting the meetings.

To be confirmed.

The next meeting, a joint meeting with the Statutory Advisory Committee, will be held on Tuesday 5^th April 2011 at 19:30 hrs, and would replace the Consultative Committee meeting scheduled for 12^th April 2011.

The meeting ended at 21:10 hrs.