Agenda item

As a follow up to their park visits earlier this municipal year, Members will receive a presentation on recent developments and future plans for parks across the city.

Following their visit to Hull Road Park and Rowntree Park earlier in the year, Members received a presentation from the Head of Parks and Open Spaces on recent developments and future plans for parks across the city.

Members were briefed on the following developments/events which had taken place during the Autumn/Winter season:

•         City wins Gold in Yorkshire in Bloom

•         Rowntree Park flooded 3 times plus 2 high lake levels.  However, the Reading Cafe had been able to remain open with revised safety arrangements in place

•         Installation of 10 new self operating penstocks (non return valves) in Rowntree Park along Terry Avenue, which would save about two days pumping out after a flood.

•         Rowntree, West Bank, Rawcliffe Country Park, Glen Gardens and  Clarence Gardens entered for a Green Flag Award

•         Hull Road Park and Glen Gardens food growing beds

•         Rawcliffe Country Park hosts Kaboom and planning for Stage 2 off road bike track

•         Scarcroft Green bowling / croquet facilities Development plan

•         At Chapman’s Pond, £12,000 of footpath works funded by YorVenture had created a new footpath. The next phase was to rationalise signage and remove some trees to open up views into the site

Information was provided on the investment programme supported by section 106 payments which was planned for the spring and would include work on:

•         Hull Road Park footpath and access improvements

•         Hull Road Park community pavilion

•         Glen Gardens play area

•         Clarence gardens play area

•         Scarcroft Green bowling / croquet facilities

•         Arran Place and Cornlands Road play areas

•         Tower Gardens – improvements to river frontage

At Hull Road Park Members were advised that planned work included finding a new use for the old pavilion, work on a circular footpath, finding a new use for the former bowling green and work on Osbaldwick Beck.

With regard to the removal of the hedgerow along Alcuin Avenue which had been raised under the Public Participation item, the Head of Parks and Open Spaces confirmed that dialogue had taken place between Mr Shilleto and the council.

A range of concerns and questions regarding the removal of the hedge were raised and Members asked that no further work be undertaken until local residents had been consulted.

The Head of Open Spaces provided the following response:

·         Hedges have been removed for the last 13 years (normally privet) where it was believed the hedge detracted from the offer.  Hull Road Park previously had privet hedges of head height.

·         Where a hedge was considered too high the options were to remove it completely or reduce its height. In most cases reducing the height did not offer a benefit.

·         Privet was not a great natural habitat so its benefit for wildlife was not significant.

·         The rationale was to open up the site lines into the play area. There were multiple benefits of being able to see into the park e.g. at Clarence Gardens hedges were removed following reports of flashers.

·         The Council had never consulted with residents regarding removal of hedges in the past.

It was confirmed that there were no plans to stop work on the hedge removal on Alcuin Avenue therefore this would continue. However Members were advised that Officers were working to re-engage the community with regard to the other works planned for Hull Road Park and landscaping would be an early topic for debate.    The Assistant Director for Communities, Culture and Public Realm advised Members that as the officer with delegated responsibility, his decision to remove the hedge would stand unless otherwise instructed by the Cabinet Member.

Ward Councillors for Hull Road, who were at the meeting, confirmed they had received many representations from the public about the future of the park in general.

RESOLVED:             (i)         That the presentation on the development of parks be noted.

                                    (ii)        That the concerns of Members regarding the removal of the hedgerow along Alcuin Avenue be noted.

                                    (iii)      That the appropriate officer be requested, in conjunction with the Cabinet Member, to reconsider the decision to continue with the removal of the hedge until appropriate consultation had taken place with local residents.

REASON:                  To comply with their previous decision to monitor developments in York’s parks.