Minutes of meeting held in person
Present
| Hazel Glenister (chair) | Helen Goodsell | Cllr Liz Dixon | Francine Lawrence |
| Gill Close (minutes) | Cllr Tariq Dar | Sajjad Dar | Mark Cummins |
| David McClements | Bassil Elnaiem |
Apologies
| Lia Colacicco | Paul Hurst |
Actions are shown by initials in bold.
Approval of minutes
- Minutes approved.
Parks Service update from Sam Haines
- Sam responded to each of the points provided with the agenda and other questions.
Litter
- SH has applied for In The Loop grant funding (£12500) https://www.intheloop.org.uk/grant-fund from Hubbub (an environmental charity https://hubbub.org.uk/) for 3 large solar-powered closed bins with a foot pedal and will check suitable locations
- SH will arrange for Continental Landscapes to trial after Easter collecting at 3.30pm every weekday plus alternating Saturdays and Sundays
- Continental Landscapes will pick up at 12.30pm after each litter pick (monthly Saturday or Sunday)
- SH will follow up with Network Rail collecting of litter on their land alongside the railway tracks. Trustees said they could arrange a group of volunteers to help.
- Litter campaign: council considering notices to take litter home if bin full. SH will inform FoGP if the council plans to start a campaign. Trustees will let SH know if they have ideas beyond the current fox poster on bins that was designed by trustees.
- TD will ask councillors if they will lead on and pay for flyers in community languages.
Paths
- SH expects the steep path the be resurfaced in April.
- The conversion of the desire line opposite Melrose Avenue into a path will need to wait for further funding and prioritisation of paths.
Pond
- Contract with Continental Landscapes (CL) is for maintenance when needed. No frequency is stipulated but they will work on the pond during spring and summer.
- In the summer, there will be weekly checks for weed infestation. Where there is excessive or unwanted growth, vegetation will be removed using grappling rods with the extracted weed placed on the embankment for a minimum of 48-hours to permit wildlife to return to the water.
- CL will use hand implements to clear the rubbish from in and around the pond and remove blockages from outlets and inlets.
- SH will check what needs to be done with the fallen tree.
- SH to meet Leslie Williams to identify what needs doing and to invite Hazel to the meeting. CL may not know that the reeds need cutting back.
Flooding and maintenance
- There is flooding by the memorial, at the bottom of the wide path from the main playground to the low bridge and on the path along Kendal Road. SH said it appeared to be due to years of leaves blocking the drains. SH to investigate the feasibility of using jetwash to clear the drains.
Playgrounds
- SH suggested possible funding sources: S106 ringfenced for the park that comes directly to her, or applying to Brent Community Grants, The National Lottery or Asda Foundation.
- SH will follow up repair to the trampoline area to ensure health and safety. SH said future trampoline installations would ensure wheelchair access, which may cost about £7000.
Meadow signage
- SH will check on the progress of the order for the meadow signs. They are expected to be installed by September.
Pitches
- The pitch drainage specification has been agreed for the rugby pitches. Procurement will take time, followed by works for nine months to a year, then six months for the new turf to establish fully. SD said the waterlogging was preventing use of the pitches. Kelly Eaton has been communicating with Rick at Kilburn Cosmos about the drainage work.
- The astroturf cricket wicket may be developing into a trip hazard. It will cost £13000 to replace. Funding might be possible through the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) or Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC). There were currently too few cricket bookings to justify council expenditure.
- SH knows of no current unbooked use of pitches. When footballers were using the cricket pitch without booking, SH gave wardens a card to issue to them explaining the need to book, as required in the Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO). SH asked trustees to inform her if unbooked use was still leading to litter on the pitch.
Tennis courts
- The new build of the small club hut including toilet for staff and players north of the courts and connection to public drinking fountain south of the courts is due to start on 18 March with completion and water connection in 6 to 10 weeks.
Upcoming event bookings
- Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 September Brazilian Festival – no details yet
- George Irvin funfair Sat 20 July to Tue 13 August, open to the public Fri 26 July to Sun 11 Aug
Cafés
- SH and Kelly Eaton have a monthly meeting with property at which cafés are discussed.
- The Stables Café lessees are discussing with the council how to deal with problems caused in the upstairs room by subsidence and dampness.
- Community members have asked for cafes to be open daily until 5pm and on Bank Holidays.
Wardens
- SH said there were five wardens employed directly by the council. They work 7 days per week. They open and close changing rooms when pitches are booked. They visit all playgrounds twice per week. They open and close the walled garden and public toilet.
London in Bloom
- The closing date is 1 April. In past years, when Veolia has applied for it for the walled garden, the award has not recognised the Gardening Group and Friends of Gladstone Park well enough, yet they do most of the work in the walled garden. Helen suggested that FoGP could apply. SH and Helen to discuss who will apply this year as time is short.
Stolen benches
- Five benches dedicated by community members and paid for by them have been stolen. The agreement signed with the council renders the purchaser liable for replacement if they wish to replace a stolen bench. MC expressed concern at this, particularly for bereaved purchasers, and asked who would replace the benches. SH said that Kelly Eaton was considering this.
- Trustees suggested increased security by including “Brent Council” prominently on them, engraving names on them instead of screwing on small metal dedication plates and fixing benches more permanently to the ground, such as by spot welding screws and bolts.
Tyre marks on the rugby pitch
- CL said it was not their vehicles. SH will remind drivers of damage caused by driving over grass.
Outstanding points from Continental Landscapes’ responses at the public meeting
- CL is responsible for all areas of Gladstone Park and the Gladstone Open Space.
Planting plan for Parkside glade and meadow
- DM summarised the circulated plan, including hazel hedges and plants encouraging butterflies.
- Steps towards Natural England designating the area as a Local Nature Reserve were progressing.
- DM aims to run some woodland conservation courses there next autumn and winter.
Public meeting 2pm-4pm Saturday 20 April
- Agreed focus to be meeting park officers. GC to invite Kelly Eaton and Sam Haines. FL to adapt previous poster for early publicity. SD to confirm booking of venue. GC to request provision of access by keyholder Carter Quinn. GC to organise tables, chairs and room setup. Helen and Hazel to organise refreshments.
Focus of our work
- Discussion of long term goals, achievements within a year, ongoing activities and who would lead on them were held over until next meeting due to lack of time. Some activities were suggested. All need to be booked through the council. FoGP has public liability insurance which is needed.
- The Big Lunch (1-2 June https://www.edenprojectcommunities.com/the-big-lunch), which had been successful previously. It had also included a poetry slam and tug of war.
- An art workshop: Cristina Antonini had attended the public meeting and sent FL information about art workshops run by We Restart https://werest.art/. Hazel to follow up.
- BE suggested sports and music events for young people – football, rugby or tennis tournament.
- SD said arts and crafts activities would be well attended.
- GC will walk the park with the headteacher of Crest Academy, the back entrance of which is opposite the tennis courts, to identify curricular links in the park that teachers can use during park visits with students and which can encourage more 11-18 year-olds to use the park.
Constitutional matters
- The following had expressed interest in becoming a trustee and were invited to the meeting: Owen Plummer, Fitzroy Lee, David McClements, Silvia Fermo and Bassil Elnaiem. David and Bassil attended. They both expressed interest in becoming a trustee. Next meeting will include resolutions to appoint each of them, which trustees will vote on.
- There was not time to discuss revision or clarification of constitutional matters agreed at the 6 February meeting, so this was held over until next meeting.
Finance
- No questions were raised on the treasurer’s report, which had been circulated showing a balance of £2,658.12 and the 2024 expenditure by the Gladstone Gardening group as £278.35 of the nominal £1000 allocated annually to plants.
Actions for trustees from 6 February meeting not elsewhere on the agenda
- GC to follow up with council’s highways and infrastructure work needed on the high footbridge: putting a new mirror in the corner where the old one had not been replaced and repairing the missing step riser
- FL to draft and circulate wording about FoGP and how to become a friend for a small notice to display on noticeboards.
- FL and GC to write wording for Facebook on how and why to report Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) breaches using the QR code or url on the notice.
- FL to work on the wording for a small notice about StreetLink.
Any other business
- Any other business was held over until the next meeting.
Date of next meeting
- 6.30pm to 8pm Thursday 11 April 2024 at Pakistan Community Centre, Marley Walk NW2 4PU