Agenda and minutes

Election of Chair

As it was the first meeting of the Municipal Year 2010/11 the Clerk, Mrs Cole, sought nominations for the position of Chair of the Advisory Committee. 

Councillor Monica Whyte nominated Mr David Liebeck as Chair of the Advisory Committee for the Municipal Year 2010/11.  Mrs Monica Myers 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 2010/11.

Mr D. Liebeck in the Chair

Election of Vice-Chair

The Chair sought nominations for the position of Vice-Chair of the Advisory Committee for the Municipal Year 2010/11.  The Chair nominated Councillor Whyte as Vice Chair of the Advisory Committee.  This was seconded by various members of the Committee.

There being no further nominations it was:

RESOLVED

That Councillor Monica Whyte be duly elected as Vice-Chair of the Alexandra Park and Palace Advisory Committee for the Municipal Year 2010/11.

To note the changes to the membership of the Advisory Committee.

The Chair advised that the 7 qualifying associations for the Committee had confirmed their agreed allocation of places on the Committee for 2010/11 from amongst their number to the 8 allocated places.

The Committee noted that the Bounds Green and District Residents’ Association (represented by Mr J. Michaels and Mr K. Ranson (deputy)) had applied and satisfied the requirements to join the Committee.

Mr H. Aspden (Warner Estate Resident’s Association (WERA) which had two representatives on the Advisory Committee in 2009/10) had resigned as a member of 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 2010/11 as detailed below be noted:

Nominated Members

Alexandra Residents’ Association:   Ms Jane Hutchinson

Bounds Green and District Residents’ Association: Mr Ken Ranson

Muswell Hill and Fortis Green Association:  Ms Monica Myers

Muswell Hill and Fortis Green Association:  Mr Denis Heathcote

Palace Gates Residents’ Association:   Ms Jackie Baker

Palace View Residents’ Association:   Ms Elizabeth Richardson

The Rookfield Association:    Mr David Frith

Warner Estate Residents’ Association:   Mr David Liebeck

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Joseph Ejiofor.

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 Chair was nominated by Councillor Whyte to act as Chair of the Urgency Sub-Committee; Councillor Whyte was nominated by Councillor Matt Davies; Mr Denis Heathcote (Muswell Hill & Fortis Green Association) was nominated by Mrs Myers and Councillor Pauline Gibson was nominated by Councillor Richard Watson.

The Chair MOVED and it was:

RESOLVED

That the following Members be appointed to the Urgency Sub-Committee of the Advisory Committee for the Municipal Year 2010/11 as detailed below:

Mr Liebeck (Chair)

Councillor Whyte (Vice Chair)

Councillor Gibson

Denis Heathcote

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

Councillor Jenks declared a personal interest as he was a member of the Warner Estate Residents’ Association (WERA).

The Committee agreed to vary the order of the agenda to allow Adrian Thomas (WERA) to give his presentation on Sustainability at the beginning of the meeting.  The minutes will show the items in the order in which they appear on the agenda.

i)          To approve the minutes of the Advisory Committee meeting held on 9^th February 2010 and the Special Advisory Committee meeting held on 17^th March 2010.

ii)         To receive the draft minutes of the meeting of the Consultative Committee held on 16^th February 2010 to be noted.

iii)        To receive the draft minutes of the meetings of the Alexandra Palace and Park Board held on 2^nd March 2010 and 4^th May 2010 to be noted. TO FOLLOW

Minutes of the Advisory Committee meetings held on 9^th February 2010 and 17^th March 2010 (Special)

RESOLVED

i.          That the minutes of the Advisory Committee meeting held on 9^th February

2010 be agreed subject to the inclusion of two paragraphs within the Good Governance section (APSC37).

ii.         The minutes of the Special Advisory Committee meeting held on 17^th March 2010 were confirmed as a correct record.

Minutes of the Alexandra Palace and Park Consultative Committee

The draft minutes of the meeting of the Consultative Committee held on 16^th February 2010 were noted.

Minutes of the Alexandra Palace and Park Board

The tabled minutes of the meetings of the Alexandra Palace and Park Board held on 2^nd March 2010 and 4^th May 2010 and 12^th January were noted.

The Chair asked Officers for an update on the possible charging regime on the Park’s existing car parks (12^th January 2010, minute no. APBO09).  Mr Gill informed the Committee that Trustees had requested a feasibility study and an update on this would be provided at the Board meeting on 29^th June as part of the Finance Update report.  The Advisory Committee would be consulted before any decision on potential car park charging was recommended to the Board.

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

The Committee received the report updating the Advisory Committee on events and works within the park, introduced by Mr Mark Evison, Park Manager, Alexandra Palace.

The Committee noted that 8,000 visitors had attended the Springwatch Wild Day Out event (paragraph 6.2 of the report) and representatives of the Natural History Museum had estimated 500-700 species of flora and fauna were identified on the day.

Mr Evison drew particular attention to paragraphs 6.8, a new walk leaflet was being produced by the Friends of Alexandra Park, and 6.9 the Haringey Council Biodiversity Action Plan objective to declare part of the park a Local Nature Reserve, which could help secure further funding for the Park in future.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

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

The Committee received the report advising of forthcoming events to the end of the financial year, presented by Ms Rebecca Kane, Managing Director, Alexandra Palace Trading Limited (APTL).

Ms Kane highlighted the success of the business strategy of APTL in provisionally securing 10  concert events for 2010/11 (compared to 2 concerts held at the Palace last year).  2 of the concerts would run through the night, 1 would end at 1am and the others would end at the usual finish time (11pm). APTL hoped to secure 80% of this business.

Ms Kane drew the Committee’s attention to the Family Picnic event (6000 attendees) for which the Park had been chosen as flagship site, the Indian Festival (which Ms Kane hoped to host at the Palace for the second year) and the World Cup and Fireworks events which were all in progress.  New exhibitions scheduled to be held at the Palace included the Indian Property Exhibition, the In Wedding Exhibition and the Dolls Exhibition which replaced the one lost exhibition in 2009/10.

Ms Kane updated members on plans for a Temporary Ice-Skating Rink, which would be installed whilst work continued on the permanent ice-rink.  It was noted that it was not possible to erect the marquee at the original Pavilion site therefore the temporary ice-rink would be installed in the Great Hall to ensure loyal customers continued to visit during the summer.  The Great Carnival Splash event would be held in the Great Hall (21^st & 22^nd August) but have welcomed the addition of an ice-rink to their event.

Resident Association representatives suggested more advertising for events could be conducted by APTL.  In response, Ms Kane explained that the main channels of advertising were the Palace website ( www.alexandrapalace.co.uk ) and the “What’s On” leaflets, there was also a Facebook page for the ice-rink, advertising on radio stations for the World Cup events at the Palace (where television stations and journalists would be broadcasting from) as well as posters on site and articles in the Evening Standard and Haringey People.  Ms Kane highlighted that events promoters were responsible for promoting their events, although the Palace did what it could with the available advertising budget to support events on site.

Resident Association representatives were encouraged to circulate information about events to their members.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

To receive a verbal update on the progress made on the review of governance of Alexandra Palace .

Ms Kane provided a verbal update on the progress made on the review of governance of Alexandra Palace.  The Committee noted that the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) Good Governance Code (presented to the Advisory Committee on 9^th February 2010) had been adopted by the Board.  The Palace master-plan is at embryonic stage and would be discussed with Trustees  in the near future.  A further report to trustees will ask them to reduce the number of proposed models for Governance from 6 to 2/3 maximum upon which further legal analysis can then be carried out.  Ms Kane emphasised that none of the options had been ruled-in or ruled-out at this point in time.

Research into the Eden Project in Cornwall (a visitor attraction including the world’s largest greenhouse) was being conducted with the intention of organising a visit to the project for Trustees - if the benefits (of such a visit) to the decision-making were clear and agreed.

The Committee noted that timescales for further milestones of the governance review will be provided in due course.

RESOLVED that the verbal update be noted.

To receive a verbal update from the Interim General Manager – Alexandra Palace on matters considered by the Alexandra Palace and Park Board.

Mr Gill provided a verbal update on current activities including that induction for new Trustees had been undertaken. A further induction session would take place on 19^th June to update Trustees on the governance review and Code of Governance.

A Board meeting had taken place on 7^th June 2010 including reports on the appointment of a director to APTL and the usual finance and investment reports as well as an Integrated Facilities Management Contract.  A report would be presented to the Board on 29^th July requesting delegated authority for the Interim General Manager to appoint a Facilities Manager who would be responsible for the day to day running of the Palace site and to liaise between contractors.

RESOLVED that the verbal update be noted.

i)          Items raised by Resident Associations:

Alexandra Palace becoming a Sustainability Centre by Adrian Thomas, Warner Estate Residents’ Association (WERA)

Alexandra Palace becoming a Sustainability Centre

The Committee received a presentation by Adrian Thomas, a regular park user and member of the Warner Estate Residents’ Association (WERA) suggesting that the following recommendations towards Alexandra Palace and Park becoming more sustainable be considered and taken forward:

Mr Thomas informed the Committee that the proposals had been circulated to members of the local community and had received positive responses. 

The general response from Palace officers was that some of the suggestions made by Mr Thomas could be integrated into the usage of the Palace and Park and others were already being progressed. The Committee recognised that there were financial implications to making the Palace and Park more sustainable and that Trustees would require details of how the proposals would be funded in order to consider them. It was suggested that funding could be sought, for example, energy utility companies provided funding for solar panels.

Mr Andrew Gill, Interim General Manager – Alexandra Palace, advised the Committee that a Sustainability Policy was in place at the Palace and Park and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.

To note the dates of future meetings of the Advisory Committee as follow:

Tuesday 7^th September 2010

Tuesday 2^nd November 2010

Tuesday 25^th January 2011

Tuesday 5^th April 2011       

The Committee noted the following meeting dates:

Tuesday 7^th September 2010

Tuesday 2^nd November 2010

Tuesday 25^th January 2011

Tuesday 5^th April 2011