Agenda item

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director – Environment seeking endorsement for the continuation of small scale improvements to the Borough’s parks, playgrounds and open spaces by using existing funding and funding from external bodies such as WREN; seeking approval for the extension of the current standing list for landscape consultants; providing information about the numerous improvement projects that had been carried out, the improvements in quality and the awards secured since the creation of the Landscape Services Division in 2000; and outlining the strategy with regards to the retention and expansion of Green Flag Awards.

It was noted that, in total, over 180 environmental improvement schemes of various sizes had been carried out. These were outlined in Appendix 1 to the report. Ten Green Flag Awards had resulted from these investments and visitor satisfaction with parks was 94%. Major refurbishment work at Hale Park and Runcorn Town Hall was due to commence in the financial year 2008/09. However, even after the completion of these sites, there would still be a number of key areas of parks and open space that needed to be upgraded.

It was advised that funding had recently been made available for improvements to Runcorn Town Hall  Park, and there was ongoing landscape work in connection with Castlefields Regeneration, 3MG and Widnes Waterfront. There were also a number of Section 106 funded schemes which needed completing and a major grant had recently been awarded from Heritage Lottery Fund for improvements to Hale Park. The estimated value of the workload over the next two years was £4m.

Information on how the work was to be managed was outlined for the Board’s consideration. In particular, it was noted that officers were recommending that the services of two external consultants, TEP and 2020 Knowsley, be retained for a further three years as outlined within the Business Case attached to the report at Appendix 2.

Members noted the giant strides that had been made in this area and commended all those involved.

RESOLVED: That

(1)       those sites listed below represent the priorities for the next phase of major park refurbishment:-

a.     Spike Island/St Helens Canal

b.     Runcorn Town Hall Park

c.      Runcorn Hill Park

d.     Crow Wood Park

and existing budgets and monies from external funding bodies (subject to an annual review by this Board and agreement with the Portfolio Holder for Environment, Leisure and Sport) be used to upgrade the above sites to improve the ‘liveability’ of local areas, contribute to the government’s ‘Cleaner, Greener’ agenda and provide a wide range of facilities for local people and visitors that promote healthy lifestyles and wellbeing;

(2)               other small-scale landscape improvements continue to be undertaken, following discussion with the Portfolio Holder for Environment, Leisure and Sport, through the use of existing revenue and capital funding, through section 106 agreements and through funding from external bodies such as WREN;

(3)               a report be submitted once per year to the Executive Board Sub-Committee showing a list of small-scale improvements for information along with a list of potential future projects, and demonstrating that monies are still available for continuation and new schemes;

(4)       the Operational Director - Environmental and Regulatory Services be authorised to extend the contracts for Term Landscape Consultancy to The Environment Partnership (TEP) and 2020 Knowsley for a further three years, and that in light of the exceptional circumstances, namely an unforeseen large volume of landscape design and implementation work and in accordance with Procurement SO 1.6, Standing Orders 3.1- 3.7 be waived on this occasion in view of 1.6 (b) ‘where compliance with Standing Orders is not practicable for reasons of urgency which could not have reasonably been anticipated’ in that a large portfolio of recently confirmed landscape schemes, including the Runcorn Town Hall Park works, need completing in a short space of time to meet funding deadlines and Members’ and community expectations;

(5)       the Operational Director - Environmental and Regulatory Services be authorised to recruit a Temporary Assistant Landscape Architect for a two year period, with costs to be covered by the fee elements of the landscape schemes over the next two years;

(6)       it be noted that since the creation of the Landscape Services Division in 2000 there have been 187 separate improvement schemes completed, or currently with contractors on site (See Appendix 1 of the report); quality of management and maintenance has improved to such a degree that the Council now has 10 Green Flag Award Parks; since 2000 the Landscape Services Division also gained Beacon Status in 2002 for ‘Improving Urban Green Spaces’; it was twice the winner of APSE Service Team of the Year Award in 2003 and 2004 and it was runner up for this award in 2005; the Division was a runner up for APSE Most Improved Council in 2006 and the winner of this award in 2007; and the Division has also won a Green Apple Award for its work at the Hale Duck Decoy in 2004, Best Environmental Planning Project for Wigg Island in 2004, a Green Heroes Award for working with volunteers in 2007 and a Best Partnership Award for the Phoenix Park Pavilion in 2007; and

(7)       the Board note and approve that Halton Borough Council currently ranks joint 5^th (with Tameside MBC) nationally in the number of Green Flag Awards that it holds - as stated in the Environment and Regulatory Services Departments Service Plan the Landscape Services Division will seek to retain all of the present Green Flag Awards and, in addition, further bids for Green Flag Awards will be made over the next four years usually at the rate of one additional bid per year (the aim is to position Halton amongst the top three performing authorities regionally and nationally: additional parks that could be considered for Green Flag Awards include Birchfield Gardens, Crow Wood Park, Hale Park and Widnes and Runcorn Cemeteries).