Issue - meetings

To receive and consider the reports, minutes and recommendations of the recent meetings as follows:

(1)   Cabinet

-        26 October 2017

-        23 November 2017

2)    Scrutiny Committee

-            6 November  2017

-            4 December 2017 (to follow)

(3)  Audit Committee

-      21 November 2017      

(4)  Environment Policy Development Group

-            7 November 2017

(5)  Homes Policy Development Group

-            14 November 2017

(6)   Economy Policy Development Group

-             9 November  2017

(7)  Community Policy Development Group

-            28 November 2017

(8)  Planning Committee

-            1 November  2017

-            29 November 2017

(9)   Regulatory

-             8 December 2017 (to follow)

The Leader presented the report of the meeting on the Cabinet held on 26 October 2017.

Arising from a report of the Director of Operations, the Environment Policy Development Group had recommended that  the following be recommended to Council: subject to the changes identified below the Parks and Open Spaces, 10 year Management Plans and Design Principles be approved:

a)    The Council should look to increase the volume of wild flower, natural grassland meadows and slow growing grasses in its open spaces.

b)    Where shrub beds have become overgrown, a new style of specimen planting will be used to replace traditional shrub bed areas.

c)    The management of tree stock will be set in the context of the 10 year management plan for that open space. There should be a presumption on the use of native trees as the prominent choice within any landscape design.

d)    Subject to the addition of the word ‘replace’ at 7.2.3: When considering maintenance of the built environment the Remove – Reduce – Repair approach outlined in paragraphs 7.2.1 to 7.2.4 above should be applied.

e)    Play England – Making Space for Play should be adopted by Mid Devon District Council as its formal reference for best practice in the design and management of play areas.

f)     Subject to the addition of the wording ‘or a suitable barrier provided’ after the word ‘fence’ Play areas must be fenced where fencing is the most appropriate means to protect the health, safety and wellbeing of children. E.g. to physically separate play areas from roads and/or cycle paths.

g)    When work is undertaken to remove fences or other items, such as benches, the work must be undertaken in a safe manner ensuring no residual hazards.

h)   Headstone runners should be used to define and structure new burial plots.

i)     Subject to the removal of the sentence: ‘Environmental areas should be generated in the old sections of the Council’s cemeteries and biodiversity actively promoted in naturalised habitats.’  At all times War Graves shall be tended and maintained with clear access routes made available.

Arising from a * report of the Director of Operations, the Environment Policy Development Group had recommended that the following be recommended to Council: subject to the changes identified below the Parks and Open Spaces, 10 year Management Plans and Design Principles be approved:

a)    The Council should look to increase the volume of wild flower, natural grassland meadows and slow growing grasses in its open spaces.

b)    Where shrub beds have become overgrown, a new style of specimen planting will be used to replace traditional shrub bed areas.

c)    The management of tree stock will be set in the context of the 10 year management plan for that open space. There should be a presumption on the use of native trees as the prominent choice within any landscape design.

d)    Subject to the addition of the word ‘replace’ at 7.2.3: When considering maintenance of the built environment the Remove – Reduce – Repair approach outlined in paragraphs 7.2.1 to 7.2.4 above should be applied.

e)    Play England – Making Space for Play should be adopted by Mid Devon District Council as its formal reference for best practice in the design and management of play areas.

f)     Subject to the addition of the wording ‘or a suitable barrier provided’ after the word ‘fence’ Play areas must be fenced where fencing is the most appropriate means to protect the health, safety and wellbeing of children. E.g. to physically separate play areas from roads and/or cycle paths.

g)    When work is undertaken to remove fences or other items, such as benches, the work must be undertaken in a safe manner ensuring no residual hazards.

h)   Headstone runners should be used to define and structure new burial plots.

i)     Subject to the removal of the sentence: ‘Environmental areas should be generated in the old sections of the Council’s cemeteries and biodiversity actively promoted in naturalised habitats.’  At all times War Graves shall be tended and maintained with clear access routes made available.

The Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment outlined the contents of the report stating that the Policy Development Group had fully discussed the contents of the report and that 9 recommendations as amended (in italics) had been put forward as recommendations to the Cabinet.

Consideration was given to:

·         The Play England – Making Space for Play document and that it contained very useful guidance which should be adopted

·         Wild flowers and slow growing grasses

·         The maintenance of shrubberies on roundabouts

·         The need to protect trees in open spaces

The Director of Operations provided answers to questions posed in public question time and issues raised during discussions:  he stated that with regard to the Tree Charter, he would discuss this further with the Planning Department; healthy trees would only be removed in the context of the tree management plan by replacing one for one.  The grassland issue was a subjective opinion, the introduction of wild flower areas had been very positive and slow growing grass areas would be maintained.  The roundabouts  ...  view the full minutes text for item 77

At its meeting on the 11 July 2017 the Environment PDG had before it a discussion paper regarding parks and open spaces. The Group RESOLVED to ask the Community PDG to discuss the paper with regard to the health and wellbeing of families using open spaces, in particular to section 8 concerning play areas. The Environment PDG will debate the matter again at its meeting on 5 September and will take the views of the Community PDG into consideration when doing so.

At its meeting on the 11 July 2017 the Environment PDG had before it a discussion paper regarding parks and open spaces. The Group resolved to ask the Community PDG to discuss the paper with regard to the health and wellbeing of families using open spaces, in particular to section 8 concerning play areas. The Environment PDG would debate the matter again at its meeting on 5 September and would take the views of the Community PDG into consideration when so doing.

The Director of Operations explained that the report * the Group had before it had been produced as a discussion paper to enable the formulation of policy for open spaces over the next 10 years.  The Environment PDG had asked the Group to give particular consideration to the built environment which included areas such as pathways, benches and play areas.  The officer stressed that the health, safety and wellbeing of children was of paramount importance and for example in the case of fencing around play areas, would always be replaced if required for those reasons. The officer also asked Members to consider whether or not the Play England document referred to within the report should be used as a reference point.

Discussion took place regarding:

·       Assurance that when necessary for health, safety and wellbeing reasons play areas would continue to be fenced;

·       Concerns regarding a specific play area which would be addressed outside of the meeting;

·       The importance of consultation prior to works being undertaken in open spaces and parks;

·       When items such as fencing or benches were removed the area must be left in a safe state;

·       The use of wild flowers and indigenous trees;

·       The fact that is was sometimes necessary to remove trees if they were in the wrong location and a request for replacement trees to be planted elsewhere when this happened;

·       Headstone runners at the cemeteries and the fact that these would prevent health and safety issues regarding headstones.

It was RESOLVED that the Environment PDG be asked to ensure that the Parks and Open Spaces 10 Year Management Plan be clear that:

a)    Play areas must be fenced when necessary for health and safety reasons, as the health, safety and wellbeing of children was of paramount importance:

b)    Play England criteria be used;

c)     When work was undertaken to remove fences or other items such as benches, the work must be undertaken safely and no hazards left:

d)    That communication and clear consultation must take place with all parties being updated.

(Proposed by Chairman)

Note: - * Report previously circulated and attached to Minutes.

To receive a report from the Director of Operations inviting Members to discuss potential landscape design principles for parks and open spaces.

The Group had before it a report * from the Director of Operations inviting Members to discuss potential landscape design principles for parks and open spaces.

The officer introduced the report, explaining that his intention was to bring forward a different way of approaching the management of open spaces over the coming years.  The paper was intended as a means to start discussion and set out the framework for this to happen.  The officer highlighted that all open spaces were subtly different and it was necessary to put some guidelines in place so that consistency was used, whilst allowing for these differences.

The officer worked through the report and discussion took place regarding:

·       The importance of consultation prior to works taking place;

·       The importance of the Ward Member being informed prior to work starting;

·       The natural environment and the length of time it took to establish;

·       Compliments on the wild flower beds that had been sown in the District on roundabouts and in parks;

·       The need to have a rolling plan to enable and budget over a period of time;

·       Shrub bed maintenance and the fact that they needed attention with an aim to move towards long term sustainable planting;

·       Tree stock and the fact that there was a tree specialist and a dedicated tree gang within the Grounds Maintenance team;

·       The built environment and a proposal to consider remove, reduce and repair as a hierarchy of questions to be used when responding to maintenance requirements;

·       The need to consider facilities that needed to be provided as well as cost savings;

·       A potential £400k unbudgeted cost to fence all play areas within the District.

·       Cemetery work was required to ensure safety with regards to health and safety.

The officer informed Members that he considered play areas had an impact on the health and wellbeing of children and that this should be the primary decider when looking at future development. The Community PDG had specific responsibilities for health and wellbeing and it was therefore RESOLVED that the Community PDG be asked to discuss the paper with regard to the health and wellbeing of families using open spaces, in particular  section 8 concerning play areas. The Group would debate the matter again at its meeting on 5 September and would take the views of the Community PDG into consideration when doing so.

Note: Report * previously circulated and attached to Minutes.