Agenda item

The Committee is requested to receive the further information requested at the March 2019 Overview and Scrutiny Committee regarding reinstatement of grass and a breakdown of costs that Chichester District Council incurred as a result of the ice rink.

The Committee considered the report circulated with the agenda.

Mrs Peyman provided an update to the Committee concerning the reinstatement of the grassed area in Priory Park following the use of part of the park for a temporary ice skating rink, as requested as its meeting on 12 March 2019.  Following additional works required by the contractor, adverse weather conditions had resulted in the grass seed not initially taking as well as hoped and therefore additional seed was over sown at a cost of £190.  This amount was taken from the contractor S3K Limited’s deposit and the remaining £810 would be returned.  With regard to the cost of the statutory work undertaken by Development Management for the planning application, Environmental Protection to assess issues such as noise nuisance, and Licensing to progress the premises licence, this work would still have to take place whether or not the event was on Council land.  Officer time and costs for the hire of land element of the project were £669.79, which were higher than normal as it was a first event.  The costs calculated for the amount of time that officers had spent dealing with complaints about the event was £6,992.70 (excluding on costs).  New guidance had been issued with clear guidance on how to deal with the receipt of unreasonable complainants and the learning curves of holding the ice skating event had been taken into account when producing the guidance.

Members’ made the following comments and received answers to questions as follows:

·      This was a one off learning curve but in future officers should ensure that the licensing fee covers the costs: A peppercorn rent was charged due to it being the first event of its kind with the contractor taking on all the financial risk of running the event.  If the event was repeated full rent for the hire of the land would be charged to the contractor.  Officers believed that part of the costs had been recovered by car park usage during December 2018, which was estimated at £2,500 higher than the same period the previous year.  Members were pleased to hear that the additional car parking income which went some way to offset some of those costs and accepted that the officer time and costs could not be quantified.

·      Has the additional grass seed been successfully sown?:  The contractor had been required to reinstate the grass as part of a planning permission condition.  A number of meetings were held with the contractor before it was decided that the grounds maintenance staff would carry out the over sowing at a charge to the contractor.  Due to conditions, such as the weather, the grass did not take as well as hoped.  The area is now fully reinstated, as well as the area where the archaeological dig took place on the event space.  

·      Mrs Sharp was allowed by the Chairman to briefly paraphrase questions from residents that had been in contact with her who could not attend today’s meeting: With regard to the environmental concerns expressed about the use of generators, her Team worked closely with Council’s Environmental Protection Team to ensure noise was at an acceptable level and that generators were located away from residential properties.  The Council was continuing to investigate the installation of mains power at the Park to help mitigate some of the issues.  With regard to social media reports, the Council had been in talks at the beginning of the year with the contractor about potentially holding the event again but those discussions had fallen quiet.   In terms of the consultation, the Friends of Priory Park were consulted before the planning application was submitted.  The public and residents had the opportunity to comment as part of the licensing and planning application process.  The processes in place, concerning how liaison should take place with the local ward members, Friends of Priory Park and residents was being reviewed.  It was confirmed that there had been no costs to the Council to replant the grass.

The Chairman referred to the Market Task and Finish Group and suggested that it would be a good opportunity for the Overview and Scrutiny to raise some of the points made about events.  He expressed the view that these types of events should be encouraged in the District, as they increased footfall.  However, a decision needed to be taken as to whether or not Priory Park was the right location.  The installation of electricity would remove the noise and the need for generators.  There was a need to come up with some really good ideas to provide events that would excite people.  

Mrs Hotchkiss clarified that the purpose of the Market TFG was to look at market events not general events.  A Parks Strategy was in development for which a Task and Finish Group had been set up.  The results of consultation that had taken place for an Events Strategy were currently being worked through, which would be considered by this Committee and Cabinet.

The Chairman commented that consideration could be given to having a Task and Finish Group to look at the Events Strategy.

RESOLVED

That the further information requested at the March 2019 Overview and Scrutiny Committee regarding reinstatement of grass and a breakdown of costs that Chichester District Council incurred as a result of the ice rink be noted.