Agenda and draft minutes

Venue: Alexandra Palace, Alexandra Palace Way, Wood Green, London N22. View directions

Contact: Clifford Hart 

Items
No. Item

16.

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

To receive any apologies for absence.

Minutes:

Apologies for lateness were received on behalf of Councillor Dobbie due to attendance at a School Govenors meeting.

 

NOTED

17.

URGENT BUSINESS

Any additional Item of urgent business will be considered under Item 8 below.

Minutes:

There were no items of urgent business.

18.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

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

 

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interests.

19.

MINUTES (i) Advisory Committee 29 August 2006 (ii) Urgency Advisory Committee 12 September 2006 (iii) Board 12 September 2006 (iv) Consultative Committee 5 September 2006- pdf icon PDF 43 KB

i)                    To approve the minutes of the meetings of the Advisory Committee held on (a) 29 August 2006  and (b) Urgency Advisory Sub-Committee of 12 September 2006 (attached).

 

ii)         To consider any matters arising from the Minutes.

                       

                        iii)        To note the draft minutes of the meeting of the (a) Alexandra Palace and Park Board held on 12 September 2006 (attached) and (b) the Consultative Committee of 5 September 2006.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chair asked if there were any points of clarification or accuracy.

 

Ms Myers referred to page 4 and sought clarification as to the listed status of the CUFOS building and steps leading up to the back Palace entrance, and referred to  a discussion with the Chair of CUFOS who in that discussion had stated that the General Manager had advised her that the CUFOS building had not been listed. The General Manager, Mr Holder, responded that he did not recall any such comments and asked that the Facilities Manager, Mr Loudfoot, advise the Committee of the response received on researching this issue. Mr Loudfoot confirmed that the Local Authority’s planning service had taken the view that both were in the curtlidge of the Palace building and came under the listed building consent even though the CUFOS building was not specifically mentioned. The analogy which could be used was that of the steps at the front of the Palace.

 

In response to questions from the Chair the General Manager stated that he would advise on current planning classes at the next meeting.

 

NOTED

 

Mr Aspden referred to page 2 (ii) of the minutes in respect of a traffic impact assessment and the request to the Board, and the Board’s deliberations on 12 September 2006 that it would not take any action in respect of the request.

 

Mr Holder responded that there were dangers of blurring the boundaries of responsibility and advised that it was not for the Board to consider the issue of a traffic impact assessment. That would be a matter to be considered by the Planning Authority as part of the planning application process. The Board, when it had previously considered the request had not said the survey would not be undertaken but that the survey would be done at the stage of developing the  planning applications. It was not something that the Board could impose or have the jurisdiction to do so.

 

Mr Aspden expressed his concerns that it had been a specific request from the Committee and he was not happy that this had not been taken seriously and referred to the traffic survey undertaken as part of the 1996 development process and that it was better to have the a survey up front.

 

Discussions briefly ensued with regard to requirements of a survey and the point of which this would be carried out in conjunction with the likely planning applications that would be received, together with the need for the Board to take account of the views of this Committee in accordance with the 1985 Act.

 

Members suggested whether the Board should be asked to ensure that any planning application consent should be accompanied by a full traffic assessment survey. During discussions whereby Councillor Hare contributed to the discussions Mr Holder advised that there was a potential conflict of interest on Councillor Hare’s behalf both as Member of the Board of Trustees and also as a Member of the Local Authority’s Planning Applications Sub-Committee.

 

Following  ...  view the full minutes text for item 19.

20.

THE FUTURE OF THE ASSET - UPDATE (Verbal report of the General Manager - Alexandra Palace)

To advise the Committee on progress.

Minutes:

The General Manager, Mr Holder, advised the meeting that since 1995 he had been given to believe by the Charity Commission that a Section 36 order was required to be submitted to them whereby the charity would be authorised to grant the Firoka Group (the preferred investment partner) a long lease.   Mr Holder went on to outline the recent history in relation to the request for wider powers by Alexandra Palace Charitable Trust and the coming into force of the statutory instrument containing those powers. The Charities (Alexandra Park and Palace) Order 2004 empowered the Trustees, subject to the consent by Order of the Charity Commissioners, to grant a lease of the whole or part or parts of the Palace and its immediate surrounding area. The process to select an investment partner had been undertaken by the Charity Trustees with the benefit of extensive and comprehensive professional advice.  At the Board’s Special Meeting on 27 March 2006 the Board resolved to authorise commencement of detailed negotiations with Firoka and to seek a Section 36 Order from the Charity Commission.  The Board subsequently, at its meeting on 24 July 2006, approved draft documentation and delegated authority for drafting changes to the General Manager. 

 

Mr Holder advised that the Commission had invited the Trustees to apply for a scheme which would authorise the trustees to grant a lease to Firoka (Alexandra Palace) Limited.  Mr Holder explained that technically in the current context there were two relevant mechanisms whereby a lease could be authorised.  The first was by means of a scheme containing an order under Section 16 of the Charities Act 1993.  The second was by an Order under Section 36 of the Charities Act 1993.  Mr Holder commented that the Commission had now indicated that the former mechanism would be appropriate because this would give a legal basis and clear procedure for giving public notice, inviting and considering representations.  This process also accorded with an undertaking given by the Minister during the course of the parliamentary debate in January 2004 on what became the 2004 SI. On that occasion the Minister indicated that the Commission would publish a draft of the Order and invite and consider representations. The Board then formally agreed the submission of an application for Section 16 Order at a special meeting on 25 October 2006.   Mr Holder also referred the Committee to the draft Order which was tabled.  Mr Holder then went on to outline the process for advertisement whereby the Charity Commission would publish the Section 16 order for in the local, and national press (The Times) with a statutory period of 1 month for responses to be submitted directly to them. Following on from then the Charity Commission would consider any such submissions and either agree the draft order, or seek further clarification from the Trustees. This timescale for process was not prescribed.

 

Mr Holder also advised that the Board at its meeting on 14 November 2006 would be considering its  ...  view the full minutes text for item 20.

21.

HERITAGE LOTTERY FUNDED LANDSCAPE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT UPDATE (Report of the Development Manager) (TO BE DEALT WITH UNDER ITEM 7(i) BELOWI

To update on progress made towards the programme of works for this year’s project items.

Minutes:

The Chair advised that this issue would be dealt with under Item 7(i) on the agenda.

 

NOTED

22.

ITEMS RAISED BY ASSOCIATION REPRESENTATIVES pdf icon PDF 43 KB

i.                    Full Audit of HLF work in the Park – raised by Mr Aspden – Warner Estate Residents Association

 

ii.         The structure of the residual organisation that will be left to deal with matters relating to the Palace and the Park, on behalf of the Board - raised by Ms Hutchinson – Alexandra Residents Association

 

iii.        Advertising the draft  Order by the Charity Commission.- raised by Ms Myers – Muswell Hill and Fortis Green Association

 

 

Minutes:

i.                    Full Audit of HLF work in the Park – raised by Mr Aspden – Warner Estate Residents Association

 

The Chair asked for a brief update in respect the circulated audited report. 

 

In a brief introduction the General Manager, Mr Holder, advised of the resignation of the Parks Development Manager, Mr Baker, from his position due to personal reasons. The post would be now be advertised and the service would be managed in the interim by the Facilities Manager, Mr Loudfoot assisted by Land Use Consultants as necessary. The park management would not be transferred following signing of the lease with the Firoka Group and would remain within the management of the Charity Trustees. It was a condition of the HLF funding that there be a Parks Manager to oversee and manage initially the programme of work and subsequently the maintenance of the parkland. It was envisaged that the process for the appointment would take approx 2 months.

 

The Chair commented that Mr Baker had been a real asset to the service and had managed the project in an exceptional manner, and had been approachable to the public.  His knowledge of the HLF project had been first class and that his presence would be sorely missed. This comment was shared by the Committee and it was agreed that the General Manager be asked to pass on in writing the sentiments of the Committee to Mr Baker and also the Committee’s best wishes to Mr Baker for the future.

 

Ms Myers particularly commented on the walk about conducted the previous June by Mr Baker which was exceptionally successful and well received by the Public.

 

The Committee briefly discussed the contents of the audit in relation to various locations in the park and also made specific comments as follows:

 

·        Northview border relocation of trees

·        field area at Redstone Road  

·        works outside the boundary of the park at Muswell Hill and Bedford Road

·        the bad state and repair of the Park foot entrance at Muswell Hill

·        the need to highlight and celebrate the end of the HLF project in July 2007 

 

In respect of the content of the Audit, Mr Aspden advised that there were a number of misleading inaccuracies contained therein.  The audit was quite disappointing in its content.

 

Mr Loudfoot commented that the document was a ‘work in progress’ and would be happy to go through its contents with Mr Aspden outside of the meeting. Mr Aspden advised that he would email Mr Loudfoot with his concerns.

 

NOTED

 

ii.                  The structure of the residual organisation that will be left to deal with matters relating to the Palace and the Park, on behalf of the Board - raised by Ms Hutchinson – Alexandra Residents Association

 

A brief discussion as to the future management of the Trust post transfer of the asset ensued and the General Manager commented in respect of the residual requirements as landlord in ensuring the project agreement was adhered to.  There was to be monitoring surveyor to be  ...  view the full minutes text for item 22.

23.

ANY OTHER URGENT BUSINESS

Minutes:

(i)                 Mr Wastell referred to recent incidents of muggings and violence in the park and in particular an attack on an 11 year old boy on his way from school.  Given this and general concerns expressed, and recent reports in the press on crime analysis in the area he asked whether the General Manager was able to comment.

 

Mr Holder responded that he had been given no prior notice of this issue and given that the reported crime analysis was over a period of some months he did not see how this constituted an urgent business item.  Reports were generated in the press without reference back to himself as General Manager and he was therefore unwilling to comment on their content. In response to further questions Mr Holder advised that he had no knowledge of the incident referred to by Mr Wastell.

 

Councillor Oatway advised that security issues had been raised with the Safer Neighbourhood Team and the issue of park security was raised.  In response to further questions from Members the General Manager highlighted the mobile patrols and security in the Park but commented that it was not possible to be everywhere in the Park at all times.

 

The Chair thought that it would be of use to have a report on the issue at the next scheduled meeting.

 

RESOLVED

 

That a report on security and the recent external audit be considered at the next scheduled meeting of the Advisory Committee. 

 

 

 

 

24.

TO NOTE THE DATES OF MEETINGS OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE MUNICIPAL YEAR 2006/07:

23 JANUARY 2007

27 MARCH 2007     

 

Minutes:

23 January 2007

27 March 2007

 

 

There being no further business to discuss the meeting ended at 21:58HRS