Cabinet Member for Environment and Rural Affairs

Cabinet considered the report of the Interim Head of Commissioning and Customer Contact and the above Cabinet Member, which set out the draft Open Spaces and Play Strategy 2017-2022 including its assessment recommendations, sought Members’ approval in taking the strategy out to consultation and outlined its financial implications.

The Cabinet Member for Environment and Rural Affairs made a minor amendment to recommendation (2) by taking out the word ‘final’ in the second line of the recommendation, as the strategy was going out for consultation.  He added that the technical reports and assessments carried out by the consultants was 60 pages long so was not included in the report, but would be combined into one document for the consultation. Finally, he  advised that the consultation would include Parish and Town Councils and others on the stakeholder list.

A Member welcomed the strategy, stressed its importance and the need to address play areas but questioned the delay and lack of specific detail, particularly in relation to funding.  In response, the Cabinet Member for Finance and Performance advised that Capital Improvements to play areas would be put forward at the budget setting process and added that over £2million was spent on the maintenance of open spaces including play areas, each year, including staffing and maintenance. Another Member welcomed the strategy but raised concern over management companies taking over public areas and the issues this might cause.  A Member asked for the additional technical document as he wanted to consult residents as soon as possible, whilst another Member referred to the need for additional cemetery provision in recommendation 1(e) and why this was based on demand rather than population.  In response, the Cabinet Member for Environment and Rural Affairs acknowledged the delay, agreed to provide the technical report and advised that cemeteries were a non-statutory service.  The Interim Head of Commissioning and Customer Services added that there had been a drop-off in numbers requiring the burial service so more land would be calculated by the average demand for the service and having this in there would allow them to draw down land from new developments. He stated that management companies would receive the same commuted sum to manage the play areas and he wasn’t aware of any playgrounds being used for residents of the development only.  The Head of Planning Services added that the specification in a Section 106 Agreement for managing a play area would be the same for a management company as it had been for SBC and if planning conditions were not met, the matter would be investigated by Planning Enforcement.

The Interim Head of Commissioning and Customer Contact advised that the 6 week consultation period would be on line.  The Leader added that the strategy would be considered further by Cabinet as part of the budget process.

Resolved: 

(1)  That the draft Open Spaces & Play Strategy 2017-2022 be noted, including its assessment recommendations:

a) Ensure low quality sites with a high community value are prioritised for future enhancement.

b) Ensure all sites assessed as high for quality and value are protected.

c) Destination (Strategic) sites should be recognised through protection and enhancement.

d) Recognise types of open space that are surplus to requirements and/or those of low quality and value and determine their future use using the criteria set out in the technical assessment data and national standards.

e) The need for additional cemetery provision should be led by demand rather than population calculations.

f) The Council will no longer adopt future open spaces from developers and organisations unless there is an overwhelming case to provide a strategic new open space or the protection of important natural habitat and biodiversity.

g) Promote alternative future management arrangements for open spaces

(2)  That the Draft Open Spaces and Play Strategy 2017-2022 be taken out for consultation as detailed in the report, ahead of coming back for final adoption at Cabinet.

(3)  That the financial implications of the Strategy, as set out in the financial table of the report, be considered as part of the Council’s overall Medium Term Financial Plan and Capital Budget proposals, against the total available resources.