Agenda and draft minutes

The Clerk advised the Committee that as this meeting was the first meeting of the Municipal Year 2008/09 the first item of business on the agenda was to elect a Chair and Vice-Chair of the Committee. 

Mr Hart informed the meeting that in line with previous years the Chair was appointed from amongst the nominated Residents Association representatives, and the Vice-Chair from the appointed Councillors of the Advisory Committee. Mr Hart then sought nominations for the position of Chair of the Advisory Committee for the Municipal Year 2008/09.

Ms Hutchinson nominated Mr Liebeck as Chair of the Advisory Committee for the Municipal Year 2008/2009. Councillor Oatway seconded the nomination.

There being no further nominations it was:

RESOLVED

That Mr D. Liebeck – Warner Estate Residents’ Association be duly elected as Chair of the Alexandra Park and Palace Advisory Committee for the Municipal Year 2008/2009.

          Mr D Liebeck in the Chair

The Chair sought nominations for the position of Vice-Chair of the Advisory Committee for the Municipal Year 2008/2009.

Councillor Whyte nominated Councillor Oatway as Vice-Chair of the Advisory Committee.  Councillor Newton seconded the nomination.

There being no other nominees it was:

 RESOLVED

That Councillor S. Oatway be duly elected as Vice-Chair of the Alexandra Park and Palace Advisory Committee for the Municipal Year 2008/2009.

            The Clerk to the Committee – Mr Hart advised that the qualifying Associations to the Committee had confirmed to him that they had collectively felt that the previous year’s allocation of places should remain for 2008/09 in terms of the appointment from amongst their number to the 8 allocated places that the qualifying associations were able to appoint to on the Advisory Committee.

In respect of representation from the Palace View Residents Association - Mr Hart advised that the representative – Ms Lacroix had resigned from the Committee due to personal reasons and therefore a vacancy had arisen. He advised that he had been in discussion with the Secretary to the association as to a replacement and the matter would be reported to the next meeting of the Advisory committee in the Autumn.

Mr Hart also advised of the Councillor representative changes for the 2008/09 Municipal Year namely Councillor Rainger (Muswell Hill Ward), Councillor C. Harris (Noel Park Ward) and Councillor Newton as the 1 of 2 Council-wide appointees.

The Chair welcomed Councillors Rainger, C. Harris and Newton to the Advisory Committee.

            The Chair then MOVED and it was:

            RESOLVED

That the allocation of the 8 places from the qualifying Associations to the Alexandra Palace and Park Advisory Committee for the Municipal Year 2008/09 as detailed below be noted:

Association                                                        Allocated places/named

                                                                               representative

Alexandra Residents’ Association                    2  places - Ms Hutchinson

/Mr Wastell

Muswell Hill and Fortis Green Association            1 place - Ms Myers

Palace Gates Residents’ Association                   1 place - Ms Baker

Palace View Residents’ Association                     1 place – vacancy (Ms Rees as deputy)

The Rookfield Association                                       1 place - Mr Frith (Mr Hilton as deputy)

Warner Estate Residents Association                   2 places - Mr Liebeck /Mr Aspden

An apology for absence was received on behalf of Ms Monica Myers – Muswell Hill and Fortis Green Association due to being unwell, for whom Ms Feeney was substituting, and from Paul Wastell.

The Committee passed on its best wishes to Ms Myers for a speedy recovery.

Apologies for absence were received on behalf of Councillor Beynon, and from Councillor Patel who was attending a special Licensing Committee.

To appoint 2 Councillor representatives and 2 Residents’ Association representatives to the Urgency Sub-Committee, and appoint a Chair and Vice-Chair of the Urgency Sub-Committee from the confirmed representatives appointed thereto.

The Clerk to the Committee informed the meeting that it was necessary to appoint Members of the Advisory Committee to its established Urgency Sub-Committee for the Municipal Year 2008/09.  Mr Hart advised that the composition of the Urgency Sub-Committee was 2 resident association representatives, and 2 Councillor representatives of the Advisory Committee. Mr Hart advised that the previous year’s Urgency Sub Committee Membership had been Mr P Wastell, Mr D Liebeck (Chair), Councillor S. Beynon, Councillor S. Oatway (Vice-Chair).

Mr Hart sought nominations for the positions.

Ms Hutchinson nominated Mr Wastell as one association representative, and Councillor Oatway nominated Mr Liebeck as the other association representative, and Chair of the Urgency Sub-Committee.

Mr Liebeck nominated Councillor Oatway as Councillor representative, and Vice-Chair of the Urgency-Sub Committee. Councillor Oatway nominated Councillor C. Harris as the other Councillor nomination on the Urgency Sub Committee.

There being no further nominations it was:

            RESOLVED

That the following Members be appointed to the Urgency Sub-Committee of the  Advisory Committee for the Municipal Year 2008/09 as detailed below:

Mr P Wastell

Mr D Liebeck (Chair)

Councillor C. Harris

Councillor S. Oatway (Vice-Chair)

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 interests.

NOTED

To note the rules of procedures of the Advisory Committee.

The Chair referred to the circulated procedures and asked if there were any comments from the Committee. 

There being no points of clarification the Chair advised that in terms of the duration of this and future  meetings of the Advisory Committee he felt that it was appropriate to limit the duration to 2 hours maximum and he would ensure that the Committee tried to keep to the time period.

RESOLVED

That the circulated rules of procedures be noted.

At this point in the proceedings the Chair advised that the order of business on the agenda be varied to next consider Item 9 – Park Activities Update. The Committee agreed to the variation of business.

NOTED

Report of the Park Manager - To update the Committee on events and works within the park.

The Chair then asked for a brief introduction of the report.

In a succinct introduction to the circulated report Mr Evison gave a brief update of recent activities carried out in Alexandra Park and answered points of clarification. In particular Mr Evison advised that Warner Estate Residents Association had consulted their members over their request for a new pathway from the Redston Road entrance.  Mr Evison commented that he had attended the WERA AGM on 6 July 2008 where the meeting had fully endorsed the proposals. He would now commence drawing up detailed plans.

Mr Evison further commented that:

·      The Alexandra Park Ornithological Group (APOG) held a public bird walk in May and 43 species were sighted.  This list has been published on the Alexandra Palace Website and is available in the Information Centre.  APOG is preparing a ‘Birds of Alexandra Park’ leaflet detailing all species that may be seen;

·      Traffic Engineers have reviewed the crossing point on Alexandra Palace Way (below the Palm Court entrance) and feel a traffic island could be installed to provide a refuge for pedestrians.  Quotations for this project are being sought.

Mr Evison also advised that following the conclusion of the HLF an event had been arranged for Sunday 10 August 2008 to celebrate the success of the HLF project, with full media coverage, and all members of the Advisory, and Consultative Committee, and the Alexandra Palace and Park Board would be invited to the event. In response to points of clarification Mr Evison advised that the event was not open to the public and was by invitation only.  The event would also be appearing on the Palace’s website.

Mr Evison also advised that there had been a positive visit from the Green Flag Judges at the end of May 2008, where it had been remarked upon how improved the park had appeared since the previous year by one of the judges who had been judging the park the previous year.  The judges’ results were expected on 17 July 2008. 

The Committee then briefly raised the following points of concern;

·        Concerns with regard security issues in and around the Park and at various entrances and concerns that incidences should be followed through, in particular incidences either sexual attack/exposure. In response the General Manager – Mr Loudfoot advised that the system operated whereby on site security at the palace received daily reports of any incidents in the park such as attacks etc although it was the case that not all incidents were reported to the Palace. The incidents, if reported to the Council’s Safer Neighbourhood Team, were fed back to the palace and vice versa.  In terms of frequency of incidents it could be said that there could be periods of weeks where no serious incidents occurred and then as was the case the previous week a number of incidents occurred within 2/3 days.  Mr Evison reported that a number of those incidents had been tracked on camera and the identities of the attackers were  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

i)                    To approve the minutes of the meeting of the Advisory Committee held on  5 February & 18 March 2008  (attached).

                        ii)         To consider any matters arising from the Minutes.

                        iii)        To note the draft minutes of the meeting of the Alexandra Palace and Park Board held on 10 March 2008, and the special meetings held on 26 February, and 19 March 2008 , and the Consultative Committee of 12 February 2008.

Minutes of the meeting of the Advisory Committee – 5 February 2008 & 18 March 2008

                        RESOLVED 

That the minutes of the meetings Alexandra Park and Palace Advisory Committee held on 5 February 2008, and 18 March 2008 be confirmed as an accurate record of the proceedings

Matters arising – 5 February 2008

(i)                 Page 3 (ii) Cricket Club

In response to a query from Mr Aspden with regard to recent press reports that the club were being asked to pay a triple rent for the club in future and whether this was actually correct the General Manager – Mr Loudfoot advised the Committee that the current lease with the club, detailed the requirement for a 5 year rent review and that this had been agreed by the club when it entered into the lease arrangements some 10 years previous. The proposed rent level was based on the review and the findings of a surveyor’s report and as a result negotiations were now proceeding with the club.  In response to points of clarification Mr Loudfoot advised that the rent level was based on the principle of ‘Best rent reasonably obtainable’ and that the factors in determining this were in relation to the size of the site and its potential and current usage.  Mr Loudfoot also commented that the press reports had been grossly exaggerated and there was no intention to force out the Cricket Club and the Palace was only doing what was required within the lease that the Cricket Club itself had agreed and signed up to, and the reported speculation that the club were being deliberately forced out was complete and utter nonsense.  Mr Loudfoot also confirmed that the Alexandra Palace and Park Board would be considering the matter at its meeting on 22 July 2008.

Following a wide ranging discussion as to the usage of the cricket club and the issues of the new school development, and possible commercial usage, the Chair summarised and it was:

RESOLVED

That in respect of the Alexandra Park Cricket Club, the Board be asked to consider the following deliberations of the Advisory Committee:

i.          The Board notes the concerns of the Advisory Committee at rumours  circulating of the likely level of the increase of  the rent;

ii.         That the Board be urged to set a rent which was at a reasonable and affordable level, to ensure the continued existence and operation of the Cricket Club; and

iii.        That the Board consider agreeing a variation to the terms of the existing Lease to permit the possible subletting of the Cricket Club facilities to other (cricket) users, for example, during weekdays, to ensure it remains a viable entity.

ii)                  Page 9 – ANY OTHER BUSINESS – LICENCE – WORLD PROFESSIONAL DARTS CHAMPIONSHIPS

In a further wide ranging discussion regarding the World Professional Darts Championships Mr Frith referred to the issue of the Licence application which had not, and should have been brought to the Committee for consideration, which in his view was not acceptable.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

To advise the Committee on progress

The Chair asked for a brief introduction.

The General Manager – Mr Loudfoot advised that at the last meeting of the advisory committee it was reported that little if any progress had been made in forwarding the development project. It was agreed that should any significant progress be made before the next scheduled meeting then a special meeting of the advisory committee would be called to discuss the progress. It had not been necessary to call this meeting. Mr Loudfoot further commented that at this point in time it was still the case that insufficient progress had been made to be able to offer any meaningful report on negotiations.  Mr Loudfoot advised that since there was no progress to be reported a written report would not normally be tabled. However, past meetings had resolved that a written report should always be tabled and as such the lack of progress was formally reported.

In response to a point of clarification from Councillor Whyte with regard to an investigation by the Charity Commission Mr Loudfoot advised that no such investigation was being carried out to his knowledge.

The Chair commented at the brevity of the circulated report and the fact that there was surely some progress to report/impart to the Advisory Committee regarding the current position with the Firoka Group. The local community was hanging on to the fact that there had been a deal struck with the Firoka Group and that in this respect the local community needed to know what the latest position was.

In response Mr Loudfoot advised that he fully appreciated the frustrations expressed at the lack of progress. He advised that in terms of the Firoka bid it was the case that the Board were still in negotiations with Firoka and they were still the Board’s chosen preferred bidder, and a holistic development and approach was still the aim of Board. Beyond that there was nothing further to report.

The Chair commented that surely if there were doubts as to the Firoka bid and further negotiations were being delayed then people had the right to know that this was the case. In sensing that it was likely that there was a problem the Chair commented that by stating that there was no news did give a negative outlook as to the future of the asset.  It was the case that all concerned wanted the building to be in full use and a viable development.

Councillor C Harris commented that whilst she appreciated the frustrations of many present it was a fact that there was indeed no further news to report, and that the situation was as reported. It was also the case that there were occasions where the Board would be unable to report on negotiations because of the financial/commercially sensitive nature or legal content of such negotiations to which no other party would be privy.

Councillor Whyte commented that whilst she appreciated that there was insufficient progress to allow for a fuller report it was the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

Report of the General Manager, Alexandra Palace -  To advise the Committee on forthcoming events to the end of the financial year.

The General Manager advised the Committee of those events provisionally confirmed (in italics) and those confirmed on the events sheet.  In particular he referred the Committee to the new antique fair scheduled and the good quality feedback of the previous event by the new organiser.

In response to questions from Councillor Oatway re the finishing times of concerts Mr Loudfoot advised that all concerts were scheduled to finish by 10.30/11.00pm.

Ms Feeney commented on the Fireworks event the previous November and the fairground gate and resultant difficulties with attendees existing and the sheer volume of people and the sheer crushing and difficulties. Mr Loudfoot responded that this issue had been investigated and officers would ensure that this did not occur at future events.

Ms Hutchinson referred to a corporate event the previous weekend that had closed the road way down to the deer enclosure. Mr Loudfoot commented that he would look into the issue and advise as to the agreed arrangements.

In response to further clarification as to bookings Mr Loudfoot advised that there were bookings 3 years ahead, and the Trading Company was fully engaged in actively progressing bookings etc.

NOTED  

Nil Items

7 OCTOBER 2008

10 FEBRUARY 2009

To: Nominated Members of:

Appointed Members:

Also to:

General Manager, Alexandra Palace

Chief Executive                                                     

Trust’s Solicitor                                                     

Director of Corporate Resources

Head of Legal Services

7 October 2008

10 February 2009