The Greenspaces Manager introduced the report which provided the basis for starting the process and the consideration of a reviewed and updated Open Spaces and Play Area Strategy for Swale.

In response to an initial question from the Chair, the Greenspaces Manager provided some information on the future provision of new burial space and the Community Asset Transfer (CAT) process.  He explained that there were currently five cemeteries within the Borough, with new plots only being available at Faversham and the new Iwade site, which had about ten years of burial space remaining.  The Greenspaces Manager said it was not a statutory duty for the Council to provided burial space.  The Head of Environment and Leisure explained that it was necessary to review this now as any suggestions for provision of land for new burial space would need to be included within the Local Plan process.

The Greenspaces Manager explained that in the past five years there had been no new open space provision adopted by the Council from developers.  There was a policy in place whereby developers managed open spaces through management companies or other arrangements, although the Council still took on strategic open spaces, such as large country parks or countryside gaps.  These management arrangements for open spaces were usually agreed through Section 106 Agreements and required the developer to continue to own, manage and maintain the open space and public access.  The Greenspaces Manager explained that there had been a move towards community asset management transfer, with, for example, sports clubs taking on an open space as part of their remit with the club investing and managing these through leases.  There was a legal requirement to keep the land as public open space within any agreement.  This reduced the burden on the Council in terms of budget, but there was always the risk that the land could be returned to the Council.

The Chair invited Members to ask questions and make comments and these included:

·         Considered open spaces to be a high priority for the Council and a very important asset;

·         the health benefits of residents using open spaces should be recognised;

·         the Council should make a statement about the importance of open spaces;

·         additional assets, such as the introduction of toilet facilities and benches, were beneficial to open spaces;

·         tree planting should be continued;

·         open spaces had improved and needed to continue to do so;

·         natural burials were becoming more popular;

·         sought information on the cost to the Council for maintenance of cemeteries;

·         if the CAT transferee defaulted on their duties, would there be a cost to the Council?;

·         suggested stand-alone solar panels be introduced where required in open spaces;

·         it was very important to remain focussed on good quality open spaces;

·         the existing policy was very good;

·         the key principles set out in paragraph 3.3 of the report still held true and suggested these be carried forward;

·         the cemetery issue was an important one, and acknowledged the importance of planning ahead on this, in relation to the Local Plan, as noted in paragraph 4.2 of the report;

·         concerned with the delay in the strategy being reviewed;

·         suggested that when open spaces were reviewed again that updates be included on what had been achieved, with reasons if targets had not been met;

·         were play areas under the remit of the Community Committee?;

·         was there a plan to remove any existing play areas in the Borough;

·         the Climate and Ecological Emergency was the biggest potential change to the strategy;

·         welcomed the action to minimise the use of pesticides in open spaces;

·         the potential to reduce grass-cutting should be added to the strategy, with the benefits to bio-diversity that this would bring;

·         the Council should be planting for pollinators;

·         welcomed the use of natural burial grounds;

·         it was sometimes difficult to separate aspects of open spaces from play areas;

·         concerned with the use of management companies and the potential cost of these to householders, and they did not always work for the benefit of residents;

·         it was important to place play areas on new developments with an appropriate Section 106 Agreement;

·         considered play areas sat alongside open spaces and suggested the constitution working group amended the remits of the Environment Committee and the Community Committee;

·         there was reference to the Cabinet Portfolio Holder in the strategy, how should that be amended now that there was a committee system?; and

·         businesses and schools should be encouraged to wild their hedgerows to increase bio-diversity.

In response, the Head of Environment and Leisure explained that burials were not a profit-making service in Swale. He said the work on the burial site in Iwade had given an understanding of what was needed if creating new burial spaces and the time it took.  He spoke on the CAT opportunities for open spaces and said that it was important that a robust process was undertaken to grant leases to established groups, rather than a non-constituted group, and that informal volunteer groups, who although they played an important part in the parks and open spaces, were not considered to be appropriate groups to take on a CAT.

The Greenspaces Manager explained that currently there were no solar powered units within the Borough’s open spaces.  He added that the electronic gates at Milton County Park had recently been installed to run via solar power and this would be monitored to see how effective it was.  He acknowledged the new technology and that solar power was the way forward, and welcomed the potential of when battery life was sufficiently long to power over-night.  The Head of Environment and Leisure explained that solar power in buildings and open spaces was in the top ten climate action points for the forthcoming year.

The Head of Environment and Leisure confirmed that open spaces were within the remit of the Environment Committee, with play areas under the Community Committee.  The Covid-19 Pandemic had contributed to a delay in reviewing the strategy, but he considered the current strategy was robust, with principles in place to deliver at the time and they continued to do so.

The Greenspaces Manager explained that there was an option to remove some play areas if they were in a poor condition, there were anti-social behaviour issues, and if there was an alternative provision within walking distance.  This was considered on a case-by-case basis, with Member agreement.

The Head of Environment and Leisure explained that taking on more play areas would mean more maintenance costs to the Council.

The Greenspaces Manager said that instead of consideration by the Cabinet Portfolio Holder, this would now be by members of the Environment Committee.

The Chair said that he would speak informally to the Chair of the Policy and Resources Committee to explain that there were arguments for play areas to sit alongside open spaces, under the remit of the Environment Committee.

Resolved:

(1)      That the initial views and contribution by Members in the development of the new Open Spaces and Play Area Strategy be noted.