To confirm and sign, as a correct record, the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 29 November 2021 (Appendix ‘A’).

The Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 29 November 2021 were confirmed and signed as a correct record. 

Apologies were received from Mr S Brisby (Residents’ Representative)

Members are invited to declare any disclosable pecuniary interests or other registrable and non-registrable interests in items on the agenda.

None received

The Committee was updated on various management and maintenance issues relating to the Green and sought the Committee’s support for the installation of additional posts to strengthen site security and approve the installation of signs.

Lawn treatment

Further to costs being circulated to Committee Members, an order had been placed for the work to be undertaken in March/April 2022.  The costs would be funded by ring-fenced money.  Officers would advise Members of exact timings/date of application of treatment by email, when received.

Wildflower planting

The Committee was advised that Officers had obtained quotations for the preparation and sowing of wildflower seeds and an order for the works and seeds had been placed.  The costs would be funded by ring-fenced money.  The Committee was looking forward to seeing the wildflowers come into bloom and were pleased to note they would regenerate.  Councillor Kusneraitis was thanked for originally suggesting this approach.

Site Security

Due to several unauthorised vehicle incursions Officers advised the Committee that additional posts could be placed in strategic locations to deter future incidents.  Ten posts were held in stock so would be of a style to match those previously installed. 
There would therefore be no purchasing costs for them, the only cost would be for their installation, which was in the region of £120 per post.  This would be funded from ring-fenced funds.

Officers provided the Committee with a map of the Green and suggested that an additional 16 posts would be beneficial at the northern end of the Green.   The Committee agreed with this approach and asked Officers to obtain costings for purchasing and installation of these additional posts and forward to Committee Members for approval.

Signage

The Committee was presented with a design of proposed signs to be placed on existing signposts around the Green.  Members were pleased with the design but asked Officers to re-do the top border to ensure the fire image was deleted.  The signs would be funded from the ring-fenced money.

CCTV and report of criminality and ASB

The subject of installation of CCTV cameras to provide surveillance of the Green had been investigated by this Committee on previous occasions.  Officers advised the Committee that in order for CCTV to be installed a test set by the Information Commissioners Office must be met.  Whilst there had been recorded instances of anti-social behaviour and vehicle incursions on the Green Officers were of the opinion that these would not meet the threshold of the test and the installation of CCTV could therefore not be justified at the current time.

The Committee was advised of a suite of options for reporting incidents, records of which could then support any future consideration of CCTV installation.  The Committee was asked to encourage residents to use the appropriate reporting systems in order for the data to be compiled and provide a true body of evidence. 

The Committee asked that the Council’s Community Safety Officer attend the next meeting of the Englefield Green Committee to report on the evidence of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 463.

The Committee considered applications for three events to be held on the Green

Beach’s Funfair

Officers advised the Committee that they had received an event application from Beach’s Funfair who wished to operate on the Green in May.  They proposed to come onto the Green on 16^th May and operate the fair on the following Friday & Saturday, between 1pm and 10pm and depart on 23^rd May.   The Committee considered the application but felt due to all the work that had been undertaken to the Green’s surface the number of events should be kept to a minimum.   It was also noted that this application would coincide with the cricket season.  Members asked Officers not to authorise the use of the Green at this time but to relay to Beach’s that further applications could be considered.

Village Fair

An event application from Englefield Green Village Residents Association for the annual village fair was expected.  The date would be Saturday 18^th June.  The Committee was supportive in approval of this application.   The annual fair was a lovely event for the residents and would be even more appreciated this year due to the cancellation of the event over the last two years.

Carters Steam Fair

Carters Steam Fair had applied to operate on the Green in October.  They proposed to come onto the Green on Tuesday 27^th September, operate the fair on the following Saturday & Sunday with a firework display on the Saturday evening, then depart on Tuesday 4^th October.  The Committee supported this application.

Event Agreement

The Committee reviewed the revised Event Agreement.  The document remained standard but with additional conditions and strengthened wording relating to ground protection (boarding etc), prompt disposal of fireworks and litter clearance.

Members supported the revised agreement but asked Officers to amend to ‘does not allow the use of animals, including fish, as prizes’ and that the use of recycling bins was included.

Resolved that:

i)       Beach’s Funfair not be authorised to use the Green between 16 – 23 
 May 2022; and

ii)     Officers be authorised to approve the application when received from
the Englefield Green Residents Association for the annual village fair
on Saturday 18^th June; and

iii)    Officers authorise the application from Carters Steam Fair for 27^th September 2022 – 4^th October 2022: and

iv)    The revised event agreement be approved after item 16 had been

amended to ‘does not allow the use of animals, including fish, as
prizes’ and the use of recyclable bins is included.

At its last meeting the Committee requested Officers clarified the mechanisms in place for spending at Englefield Green.

Officers advised the Committee that prior to the receipt of the £275,000 of ring-fenced funds in 2015/16 budgets relating to the ground’s maintenance contract were set at a figure of £5,000 for scheduled maintenance activities with a further £700 for other ad-hoc works.  These budgets were in line with spending at other parks and open spaces and were what the Council would expect to fund.

Following receipt of the lump sum various ongoing improvements over and above the standard ground’s maintenance operations were considered and approved by this Committee.  These additional works were valued at approximately £1,985 per annum.  At the same time the general ground maintenance budget was increased to take account of ad-hoc works.  This budget was used to fund repairs and improvements outside of the scope of the scheduled grounds maintenance contract costs. Money spent by Officers over and above the £800 relating to the Green was funded from the ring-fenced money, in effect topping up the budget when costs overran the original budget. 

Members received a table which showed the spend in excess of £800 by £697 for which Officers should have sought approval but unfortunately did not.   In order to prevent a reoccurrence of Officers spending money without this Committee’s approval, Officers had reviewed their internal processes and created a separate expenditure code to ensure that any expenditure over £800 did not occur without Member approval.

The Committee asked Officers to obtain details on annual income received for use of the Green from EGVRA, Carters Steam Fair and bring to the next meeting.

The Chairman expressed his thanks on behalf of the Committee to Councillor J Sohi who was not re-standing for election so therefore it was her last meeting.

Councillor Sohi thanked Committee Members, Officers and Residents’ Representatives for all their hard work and support during her time on the Committee.