Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Denise Feeney, Liz Richardson, Jenny Bourne-Taylor, Caroline Hayter, Richard Hudson and Councillor Denise Marshall.

An apology for lateness was received from David Liebeck.

None received.

i.          To approve the minutes of the informal Joint Statutory Advisory and Consultative Committees held on 27 October 2014.

ii.         To note the minutes of the Advisory Committee held on 27 October 2014.

iii.        To note the draft minutes of the meeting of the Alexandra Palace and Park Board held on 28 October and 9 December 2014

a.         Informal Joint Statutory Advisory and Consultative Committee (SAC-CC) – 27 October 2014

Noted that

i.          A significant contribution from a member of the public, Mr Stephen Games, had been omitted from the minutes. 

ii.         The Committee felt that Page 3, bullet no 2 “a big concern was the depth of interpretation” did not accurately reflect the depth of conversation.

iii.        The minutes would be amended and approved at the next meeting.

Action: Clerk

b.         Advisory Committee (SAC)            - 27 October 2014

The minutes of the Statutory Advisory Committee, held on 27 October 2014 were noted.

c.         Alexandra Park and Palace and Park Board

The minutes of the Alexandra Park and Palace Board meetings held on 28 October 2014 and 9 December 2014 were noted subject to the amendments below.

i.          The list of attendees be amended to remove Nigel Willmott and David Liebeck from the Councillors list.

ii.         APBO387 be amended to include “...but their advice [the SAC and Joint SAC-CC] was reported to the Board”.

To receive the report of the Chief Executive, Alexandra Park and Palace, Duncan Wilson, including:

4.1       HLF Project – overall update

4.2       Events Report

4.3       Learning and Community Report

4.4       Sponsorship and Fundraising update

Received the report of the Chief Executive, Duncan Wilson updating the Committees on the overall position in relation to the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) project, the latest position on events at the Palace and in the Park, the learning and community programme report, and progress with sponsorship and fundraising.  Areas of the report were introduced by Duncan Wilson and Isobel Aptaker, Education Officer, Alexandra Palace.

Noted that

a.         Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) Project (paragraph 6)

            The London Borough of Haringey would be holding a Development Forum on 28 January 2015, 7-9pm, at the Quaker Meeting House on Church Crescent, N10 3NE to discuss the Heritage Lottery Fund project planning application, prior to it being considered by the Planning Committee on 16 February.

            In response to a question about the timing of the letters of support listed in Appendix 1, it was explained that the letters were of support for the HLF project as a whole, rather than in response to the planning application.  The letters had been submitted at the request of the Palace prior to the HLF bid being submitted and prior to the submission of the planning application.

b.         Exhibition and Learning Programme (paragraph 10)

i.          1000 visitors had seen the War on the Homefront Exhibition since its launch in September 2014.

ii.         64 people had attended the talk on 17 December about the Belgium Refugees’ Christmas at Alexandra Palace. 

iii.        Ms Aptaker expressed thanks to David Cole (Heartland High) and Fran Hargrove Head of St Mary’s N8) for their work in promoting the Learning Programme and recognised the good work of the volunteers in delivering the programme.

iv.        Meetings with more schools were taking place and new bookings were being made. In response to a Committee Member questioning how schools were informed of the learning programme, it was explained that the issue had been taken to headteacher forums; emails and leaflets were sent to schools and meetings with headteachers were attempted where schools were not engaging.

iv.        Committee Members congratulated the Palace on the exceptional growth and professional delivery of the learning programme. The Headteacher of St Mary’s Church of England Primary School, Mrs Hargrove added that programmes were well organised and easy for schools to arrange and children got a lot out of the visits. In response to a question Ms Aptaker explained that, whilst Haringey Schools were primarily targeted, schools in neighbouring boroughs were also being approached.

c.         Volunteering Update (paragraph 14)

Further to questioning it was explained that a meeting with a new group of potential Learning Volunteers would take place the following week.

d.         Sponsorship/ Fundraising Update          

It was reported that the Palace had been successful in a bid for funding towards the HLF project and had been awarded £50,000 from the JP Getty Trust.  In response to a question: the Fundraising Manager, Lucy Ward, was working towards submitting further applications for funding.

Resolved that the Committee notes the report.

To receive the report of the Director of Property and Regeneration, Alexandra Park and Palace.

5.1       HLF Project – detailed milestones

5.2       Park Report

5.3       Palace – Fabric Report

5.4       Go Ape – final course plans for advice

Received the report of the Regeneration and Property Director, Kerri Farnsworth, updating on areas relating to property and regeneration at Alexandra Palace and Park.

Noted that

a.         Heritage Lottery Funding (HLF) Project

i.          The Planning and Listed Building consent application for the HLF project would be considered by the Planning Committee on 16 February 2015.  This was a new date further to the originally proposed date of 9 February (paragraph 6.3).

ii.         In response to questions from the Committee:

·         Comments on the application were still being submitted on the Haringey Planning Website.

·         Responses to the application were recorded as supporting or objecting to the application or as being neutral (page 27 of the agenda pack).  The Planning Committee’s options would be to agree or reject the application.

iii.        Colin Marr, Alexandra Park and Palace Conservation Area Advisory Committee, highlighted that some aspects of the application were not universally supported, particularly in relation to the opening of the arches.  Mr Marr suggested that the application be amended to keep two of the arches blocked in order to retain some external evidence of the 1936 BBC alterations.  In response, the Chief Executive, Duncan Wilson, recognised that there were differences in opinions on the project and explained that the proposals had been considered by the SAC/CC previously and there was a good case for unblocking all 15 arches.  Furthermore, the planning application could not be amended; it would have to be withdrawn and the process restarted with a new application.  Another Member of the Committee emphasised that there had been overwhelming support for the application from both the Advisory and Consultative Committees during the previous meetings.

iv.        The HLF Committee would consider the funding application on 24 March 2015 and a decision would be made subject to the Planning and Listed Building application being granted.  A Committee Member questioned how the bid was related to the planning application and it was explained that HLF would not commit to funding a project unless all the required consents had been obtained.  Alexandra Palace would then receive a ‘permission to start’ letter up to two months later.

v.         In response to questioning about fluctuating fuel costs during the project it was explained that the project included the cost of construction inflation, which was regularly updated and taken into account.

b.         New Park Vision (paragraphs 7.7 & 7.8)

Colin Marr agreed to make available the relevant section of the APP Conservation Area Character Appraisal, although this may not be in digital form.

Action: Colin Marr

In response to questioning it was noted that the use of an outdoor gym could be considered as part of the vision.  Some groups used the Park for commercial fitness sessions and were encouraged to sign-up to a licence.

c.         Go Ape

i.          The Committee was informed that construction of the Go Ape course in Battersea Park had started further to Planning Consent being granted.

ii.         The Chair invited questions from Committee Members in relation to the information in section 8  ...  view the full minutes text for item 35.

Constitution of the Joint Advisory and Consultative Committee

A Committee Member asked that previous confusion over chairing the Joint committee be avoided, and suggested that the Joint Committee’s status be recognised by formalising its constitution to include the statutory elements within the Statutory Advisory Committee terms of reference.  Duncan Wilson reminded the Committee that an Act of Parliament would be required to change the Statutory Advisory Committee’s Constitution.

Resolvedthat arrangements be made to include election of a Vice Chair in the terms of reference for the Joint Consultative Committee.

Noted that the next meeting would be held on 14 April 2015.