green+spaces+-+The+Friends+of+Parks+Forum+-+Forum+Minutes+-+10.1.09

=**HFoPF - 10th Jan 2009**= = =


 * Present:** Ullla Lefmann (Friends of Ducketts Common); Joyce Rosser [Note taker] (Priory Common), Lucy Roots (Highgate Wood), Dave Morris [Chaired] (Lordship Rec and Chestnuts Park), Michael Cordwell James (Woodside Park), Ceri Williams (Chestnuts Park); **Apologies:** Sylvester King (Ducketts Common) Joan Curtis (Lordship Rec, and Downhills); Quentin Given (The Paddock); David Warren (Parkland Walk), David Macdonald (Downhills Park); Sally Billot (Finsbury Park); Adam Coffman (Ducketts Common, and Fairfax and Falkland); Matt McCabe (Belmont); Cliff Rhodes (Russell Park)


 * 1. Minutes of last meeting:** agreed.


 * 2. Matters arising

a) New secondary school** This is to be built on a site which includes an important and protected ecological corridor. Quentin had submitted three specific questions to the council on the implications of this, and seeking a replacement nature conservation space. It was agreed that the HFoPF would forward these points to the council.
 * b) Strengthening Friends groups, and partnership working with the Council** All comments and amendments have been made to the draft document and HFoPF is now waiting for the parks department to respond.
 * c) Planning applications** Still some concerns about whether Parks groups are being routinely notified of all relevant planning applications, as they should be. Some groups are now receiving the weekly planning lists.


 * 3. Update on Parkforce and other parks key issues prepared for us by Parks management**

It had been agreed that Parks Dept officers would not need to attend this Forum meeting. Instead they agreed to provide a 6 page Briefing for the Forum. It gave a helpful update on some strategic issues, and we were able to circulate it to local Friends groups by email before discussing it at the meeting.


 * //Parkforce//** The Parkforce changes will come into effect in May 2009. Friends groups will need to see the protocol being negotiated with the police regarding their taking over some of the responsibilities of the Parks Constabulary. There will be five BTCV workers one for each area of the borough. We need clarification of BTCV’s role but it was thought that it would be the same as their present role ie community outreach with Friends groups, schools etc. The proposed “Volunteers In Parks” scheme also would need further discussion with the Parks Dept before progressing.

The aim of Parkforce is //'to see on site staff dedicated to caring for every significant urban park in England during daylight hours'.//We have been asked by Recreation Services to help identify the borough’s “significant” local open spaces. These are likely to qualify for ‘parkforce operative’ presence. We don’t think it is our role as a Forum to be drawn into allocation of resources between one park or another. A “significant” open space is defined nationally by CABE as “//one which is both central to the local community and which draws visitors from other parts of the district. It will probably have toilets and a children's play area and one or more of the following provision: refreshments; events; pitches for formal sports; informal sports (tennis, mini-golf, boating etc); horticultural displays."// Leaving aside the toilets, which many parks have lost over the years, such a definition could apply to well over 20 of Haringey’s open spaces. Recreation Services suggest initially starting with Green Flag sites plus Lordship and Markfield.


 * //Capital funding//** Parks Department are making quite a few of successful capital funding bids from various sources eg for play equipment, sports facilities, regeneration, green flag facilities etc.


 * //Green Flag//** As well as the 9 existing Green Flag parks there will be three new parks going forward for green flag bids.


 * //Biodiversity Action Plan//** Quentin is HFoPF representative on the Biodiversity Action Plan panel. Lucy said that she has attended three meetings of this group since September on behalf of Queens Wood. She reported that he plan has been simplified which is an improvement.


 * //Usage//** Members questioned the results of a recent survey which estimated the number of visits to parks as having dropped from 16 million in 2003 to 13 million in 2008. We believe this does not ring true and must be based on unreliable questionnaires. It was considered unhelpful to include this figure.


 * 4.** **LOCAL** **REPORTS**


 * Woodside** **Park** Michael reported two issues that parks managers need to deal with. One of the historic sandstone brick gate posts had been demolished by a council vehicle. There has been a delay in replacing it. It needs urgent action. Secondly, there has been no progress on the two borders due to be developed by landscape designers. A planning appeal is pending on an extension to the café. The Friends group planted 2000 bulbs in November. They’ve received a request for a visit to the park from a group of older people from Sky City estate.


 * Priory** 1000 bulbs planted by a dozen people who were busy until the group ran out of bulbs! The Friends have put in a bid to the East London Community Fund to pay for a team to work on the shrubberies. This area is approximately a quarter of a mile long. If successful, the team would revitalise the shrubberies, removing saplings and invasive species and the Friends would be trained up to prune and maintain the shrubberies for the future. They would also put in bird boxes etc. The local Moravian Church is supporting the bid.


 * Chestnuts** The Friends have put in a Community Spaces Lottery bid to refurbish the centre of the park once the semi-derelict play pavilion is demolished. They are hoping this will be one of Community Spaces’ four big projects in London. It is hoped the Play Centre will now be rehoused as a tenant of the Community Centre. Bulb planting: due to the atrocious weather only a couple of people attended! Generally things are going well for the park: the playground is extremely popular and there is no vandalism. Funding bids are easier to make and more likely to be successful since a Management Plan was developed and a Strategic Users Group set up, chaired by the Friends.


 * Queen’s Wood** The Friends have received a grant for 10K with which they hope to start coppicing an area of ancient woodland (0.6 hectare) in February. Question for the council: what is happening about new signage/noticeboards promised for QW and other parks? New notice boards were promised as the present ones are out of date and vandalised. Byelaws are about to be revised; will this include revising the decision on cycling in the Wood? It has already been agreed by the council that cycling shouldn’t be allowed on account of the paths being too steep and unsafe. Queen’s Wood therefore needs signage to enforce ‘No Cycling’. TfL money has come through to refurbish the leisure walking pathway (Capital Ring) but they have ignored the main pathways. Money has come through for the Queen’s Wood Management Plan to be updated, which requires expert input as it is a nature reserve.


 * Ducketts Common** The Friends organised planting of two and a half thousand bulbs, 500 by the Garden Club of North Haringey Primary School. They would like better attendance at meetings and have now found a meeting place for free at the nearby Drop-In Centre for the Elderly.


 * Russell Park (on** **Noel** **Park** **estate).** Ulla circulated copies of the Master Plan for Noel Park, and the Groundwork in Haringey Project Update July 2008. Friends organised a very popular ‘Bling Your Dog’ show to encourage owners to use the park responsibly.


 * Downhills** Things ticking over


 * Lordship Rec** A Commemoration Day, organised by the Friends, was held for the 40+ local people who died in an air raid shelter tragedy in the Rec during WW2. 70 people attended, including two survivors and many families of those killed, as did representatives of the emergency services. Bulbs were planted. Poor press coverage but it was a powerful event for local people. 2 weeks later the Friends planted fourteen trees along the main field’s perimeter. New playground equipment is to be installed by July. More detailed designs for the regeneration project are being worked on (City Farm, river restoration, environment centre etc). The Friends and Parks dept conducted a summer survey of what activities people were doing in the park (from 7am to 8pm over a week). 3,000 people were observed. It proved the park was better used than previously thought. The council have installed pedestrian counters on the main gates to monitor the growing usage in the park, a criteria of the Lottery funding. A £400,000 GLA funding bid is under way as part of the strategy to raise £2.5 million match funding to go with the £4 million Lottery funding. This is based on demonstrating mass support via a public vote please vote for Lordship Rec online at [|www.haringey.gov.uk/vote4lordshiprec] .. Lordship Rec is also one of six London parks shortlisted for an award of £2 million, to be chosen at the Mayor of London’s discretion.


 * 5. Parks Dept Budget** There have been more cuts in the Parks Dept budget, despite the fact that it clearly needs much more, not less, resources. The council’s £37 million investment in Icelandic banks, now collapsed, has not yet been underwritten by the Government. There are national negotiations over this, but there is a threat of more cuts in services in the coming years. Friends Groups and others who care about our public services need to speak out about all this.


 * 6. Advertising** The council have controversial proposals to raise 50K over 3 years by selling advertising space on the edge of parks. The Forum is waiting for a council response to their press release and publicity opposing this. Friends groups are encouraged to tell the parks Dept that they definitely don’t want any ads in or near their green space.


 * 7. Going Green Conference** This is a council initiative which is now planned to be annual. As part of the ‘Greenest Borough’ strategy, the Council want HFoPF to be a partner. They would like someone from the Friends Forum to go along to the planning meeting for the conference. The event itself will be on 21 st February, 10am to 1.30 at the Bernie Grant Arts Centre. We should send out an email requesting someone to volunteer as a link person.


 * 8. Forum Officers** We still need people to help with the role of Secretary, or for two people to share the post.


 * 9. Network of Friends Forums** Dave Morris went with Paul Ely to a national conference in Nottingham about the central role of the community and Friends groups in regenerating and managing green spaces. Unfortunately it was mainly attended by council officers. However, a London conference for Friends Groups is planned and Dave is meeting up with the organisers next week to discuss how to make it a success.