ENVIRONMENT AND OPEN SPACES COMMITTEE LATEST MINUTES:

Minutes of the meeting of the
ENVIRONMENT AND OPEN SPACES COMMITTEE
Monday 4 March 2013 at 11 am at Launceston Town Hall

Present: Cllrs Gordon (Deputy Mayor), Cllr Mrs Roberts Alfar , Harris, Keighley (Chairman), Sandercock, Tremain (Town Mayor). In attendance: Town Clerk (Rita Skinner), Property Manager (Steve Fry). The committee made site visits from 9.30am.

1303/01 Apologies for Absence
All members were present.

1303/02 Declarations of Interest
Cllr Sandercock had a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in the Kensey Allotments and was granted a dispensation to remain in the meeting.

1303/03 Minutes of the last meeting
It was resolved to sign the minutes of the meeting held on 3 December 2012 as a true record.

1303/04 Kensey, Dutson and Grammers Park allotments
The committee visited Dutson and Kensey allotments.
Dutson had been cleared of rubbish. Only one half allotment was vacant. The committee discussed the leylandii hedge on the boundary, which overshadowed two allotment plots. The owner had agreed to allow the Council to remove 15’ but the cost would be in the region of £1000. It was agreed that unless the owner made a substantial contribution the work would not be undertaken. It was also agreed not to pay towards the cost of replacing the fencing along the same boundary, as the boundary was the responsibility of the neighbour.
There were 2.5 allotments available at Kensey. Concerns were raised about the unofficial footpath being created through the allotments from the estate. The owner of the land and the Residents Association would be asked for their input. The allotment tenants would prefer no access but the alternative route for the estate was longer. The fence would be repaired and enhanced in an effort to stop use of this route.
An allotment tenant at Kensey had proposed covering the access pathway at the top of the allotments with granite chippings. The councillors had been unaware of this proposal and agreed that it would not be practical and so were unable to support it.
There were 4 allotments available at Grammers Park.
It was agreed not to increase the allotment rents for 2014/2015.

1303/05 Play areas and open spaces
A visit was made to Grammers Park, which was in good order. A visit was made to Priory Park/King’s Field which had just been mown and was very tidy.

1303/06 Launceston cemetery and Dockacre closed cemetery
Launceston cemetery was looking well kept. The whole cemetery had now been cleared and tidied, extra potential grave spaces had been identified. The remaining lying headstones would be moved on top of the graves.
In order to free up space within the cemetery, and to avoid the necessity of the truck entering, the Property Manager proposed that a storage container should be purchased and sited in the composting area. The existing shed would be removed. The cost would be in the region of £1500 plus transportation. Harris fencing panels would be used to screen the area. The expenditure was agreed.
The fencing at Dockacre would be repaired where necessary.

1303/07 Kensey Valley Estate
Cornwall Council had offered a one-off sum of £27,000 to undertake grass cutting and associated horticultural work at Kensey Valley. There was a great deal of work involved and the team was already working at capacity. It was therefore agreed that the Town Council should decline the offer.

1303/08 Grass cutting Service Level Agreement with Cornwall Council
The Town Clerk and the Property Manager had met with Oliver Jones of Cornwall Council on 19 February. No additional money was available but no cuts would be made. It was agreed to carry on with the SLA on this basis. A three week rolling rota for horticultural work would be introduced between April-October: one week cemetery, one week out of town, one week in town, with two floating days per month for urgent items.

1303/09 Environment Day 2013
Cllr Gordon had a list of possible exhibitors. He suggested a Q and A panel. Cllr Gordon would identify a date (Friday 20 September 2013) and make the necessary arrangements.

1303/10 Urgent Items
No urgent matters were raised.

Date of the next meeting
The next meeting would be held on Monday 3 June 2013 at 9.30am. The committee would make site visits at 9.30am and the meeting would follow immediately afterwards. The meeting would be held at the Town Hall.

The meeting closed at 12 noon.