FOWWS trustees meeting 17 June
The Friends of the Scrubs Trustees Meeting
Thurs 17 June at 6pm
Via Zoom
Present: Stephen Waley-Cohen (chair); Smita Dave (treasurer); Carmel McLoughlin (secretary); Miriam Shea; Sarah Johnson; Faye Thomas; Ben Novak; Emma Ranson, Jack Perschke;
Apologies: Stewart Dalby-Gray
1. Minutes of the last meeting on the 11th May 2021 approved
Matters arising: Heather Marsh has told us that 24 dog walking licences have been issued borough wide by LBHF so the licence fees and management is retained and controlled borough wide; and that the council will be consulting on a dog policy for H&F parks, and a new public space protection order (PSPO) involving dogs, later this year. She will contact FOWWS when this is due to take place as she will welcome our views.
2. Sub-groups Despite the push from Friends generally for sub-groups, the sign up for the different groups was fairly small, with the environment/ecology having the most interest at about 11 or 12.
After discussion, and expressing thanks to those who did volunteer, Trustees agreed to go forward with Faye’s proposal for ad hoc groups to be convened when circumstances or events required a discussion, and not to go forward with the planned list of more formal sub-groups.
There was only one person (Chris Peyton) volunteering for the planning sub-group in addition to Henry Peterson and several Trustees. It was felt the planning sub-group should have a meeting in the near future as the OPDC consultation requires a response by the 5th July. We have responded to it previously. Stephen will set up a meeting. There are several planning proposals which will impact on the Scrubs, including: -
a. OPDC – we need to maintain our position to protect the Scrubs
b. Canalside/Sainsburys – this will cause a huge increase in traffic on Ladbroke Grove and surrounding roads, and there is no green space within the development. The links to Little Wormwood Scrubs and Wormwood Scrubs via the canal is shown in the development plans
c. 1 Portal Way this Acton development in the West will put pressure on Old Oak Common Lane and also has no green space.
d. Westfield which is proposing a number of tall towers, probably residential, again with little or no green space
High buildings and a lack of green space putting pressure on the Wormwood Scrubs are our main objections to planning applications in addition to increased road traffic worsening air quality.
There has been a walk-about led by Dr Tilly Collins of the environmental/ecology group recently. Today there was a meeting/walkabout with officers from LBHF including Steven Hollingworth, Heather Marsh, Seb Dunnett, Stefan Czeladzinski and Id Verde managers,along with Friends’ trustees Emma, Stephen and Smita and a small number of active Friends. Consensus was it was good to hear officers’ point of view on the Scrubs. It was agreed that Stephen will ask Stefan/Heather to write up a summary of the meeting today, and the issues covered.
3. HS2 generally and hoardings: Ben had a site meeting with HS2 today to establish the sizes and location of the hoardings on the ground, with a view to establishing the best areas for artwork. After discussion it was agreed that Ben/Sarah would draft a message to go out to all the Friends regarding proposals inviting designs for artwork to be submitted to HS2 to decorate some of the HS2 hoardings about to be erected, including the Old Oak Primary School and the local artist/birder who has produced some drawings of birds. Time is short so comments back required asap.
Heather Marsh indicated that LBHF are asking HS2 for a contribution of c£70k to refurbish the playground. The Friends trustees’ would wish to be actively involved in what works are proposed including Jack and Faye.
4. Charitable Trust Meeting The next meeting is on the 23rd June and the agenda/documents have been circulated.
There is further consultation proposed on the Masterplan. We need to establish that the draft Masterplan has taken on board comments previously made by the Friends.
It was noted that the Scrubs Manager recruitment has concluded without an appointment.
On the tender for the Maintenance Contract final tenders are due to come back in August with a proposal for the contract to be let in October. Stephen and Miriam will press for the Charitable Trust to be engaged in evaluation and sign-off on the award of the contract, with a special meeting of the charitable trust to be held in October if necessary to do so.
Other items include: the proposed mobile coffee truck in the car park. There was a wide-ranging discussion on this with some trustees expressing concern about the rubbish that would likely be left on the Scrubs, and those who felt as that there is nowhere on the Scrubs at present to pick up a coffee it should be welcomed if the rubbish generated could be controlled. Smita pointed out that there is a kiosk adjacent to the outdoor gym by LCS from which Martin set up a community venture a few years ago for selling drinks, and which could be renovated and rented out by LBHF to a trader;
HS2 Protestor Camps – what is happening with these?
Is LBHF continuing to monitor HS2 works?
The Community Centre – we need to keep pushing for visibility of the lease arrangements on this – the Trustees felt it should be available for community use at reasonable cost.
Park Lodge - the rebuilding costs are excessive and the view of the trustees on balance was that it should be pulled down and the site returned to a green space.
Rubbish/litter generally including overflowing bins, what proposals do LBHF have?
Vehicles/Anti Social Behaviour (ASB) – there is a new enforcement team and details will be sent out to all the Friends and published on the website.
Forest Schools – Heather Marsh indicated that this has been approved. Trustees expressed concern as to the approval process and if LBHF appreciate the need to manage this (some of the trustees have knowledge of their operation elsewhere, and they need to have up to seven sites, and to move around every few days). Also, precluding users of the Scrubs from certain areas is contrary to the Scrubs being open to all users including people walking their dogs. [After our meeting, Stephen wrote to Heather, copying other officers and councillors, expressing concern that there has been no consultation or information and a sign has been put up in the central copse.
Law Enforcement – there is concern at the new arrangements which have not been sufficiently publicised, do not appear to be operational 24 hrs a day and for which there is no phone number offered]
5. AOB: Emma suggested that LBHF be asked about management of the muddy paths this coming Autumn/Winter. Smita mentioned that on the walk today Stefan had talked about this and said loam would be laid on the paths which would allow the grass to grow underneath. There was a discussion around the effectiveness of this. Faye said that there were some mounted police exercising their horses on the Scrubs recently and apparently the Hammersmith Police stables has reopened recently. Their presence should be encouraged as they increase users safety and security on the Scrubs, and reduce the risk of ASB and criminal activities.
6. Date of Next Meeting: TBC when required
Meeting ended at approx. 7.40 pm