Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and introductions were made.

The Chair explained that the purpose of the meeting was for the Overview &Scrutiny Committee to consider the reasons the decision had been called-in in relation to the following item:

Item: Non-key decision List 02 23/24 – Portfolio Report to Introduce Conservation Grazing to Selected Parks in Enfield.  Councillor Chinelo Anyanwu, Cabinet Member for Public Spaces, Culture & Local Economy was present in relation to this item. Officers were also present.

The Committee noted that Councillor Reece Fox would present the reasons for the call-in as the Lead Member.

Members of the Council are invited to identify any disclosable pecuniary, other pecuniary or non-pecuniary interests relevant to the items on the agenda.

There were no declarations of interest.

To review the decision of the Cabinet Member for Public Spaces, Culture & Local Economytaken on 26 May 2023 as a result of the matter having been called-in.

Details of the decision taken and issued on 6^th June 2023, had been included on the Publication of Decision List No. 02/23-24.  The report also set out officer responses to the reason or call-in.

The decision had been called in for review by 7 members of the Council: Councillors Reece Fox (Lead), Joanne Laban, Chris Dey, Lee Chamberlain, Hannah Dyson, Alessandro Georgiou and David Skelton.

The reasons for call-in received from seven Members of the Council.

The reasons for the call-in were presented by Councillor Reece Fox as Lead Member.

The response to the reasons for call-in.

Councillor Reece Fox, Call-In Lead Member, summarised concerns /objections received by local resident groups and the comments received via Whitewebbs Ward Councillors.  It was felt that the overall idea had not been adequately tested, and as the consultation period only ran for 10 days, the scheme had been rushed through.  Baseline surveys had not been conducted and factors raised by the public had not been assessed. Possible unprecedented behaviour of the herds, escapee animals venturing to the surrounding busy roads, causing hazards for dog walkers/passers-by/other animals raised cause for concern, as well as the welfare of the herd. There had been no special measures implemented to safeguard protected species or the impact on the heritage site as a whole.

As Enfield is an urban setting, it was not deemed a suitable site compared to settings such as Epping Forest and Cambridge where conservation grazing has already been implemented. Public access to the area has been questioned by the local community.

The Chair asked the Cabinet Member for comments who in turn asked Officers for their technical responses as follows:

Cheryl Headon, Interim Director of Leisure, Parks and Culture, advised the report was a proposal of a trial delivered in partnership with Capel Manor College, with support from National England and Historic England.  The trial includes the proposal to use very low stacking level of cattle to be introduced in phases. The cattle identified will be fitted with GPS trackers by professional experts in line with a robust project plan and risk assessments.

The choice to use Forty Hall in Enfield was due to its urban similarity to Wanstead. 

Clear signage will be in place, providing detailed information about the cattle, why they are there and guidance for the public visitors. Increased officer presence will be available once the site is open to the public.

The Chair welcomed questions from other members of the committee:

Q1.     Regarding dog walking, are there going to be any closed off areas?

A1.     The park will not have any new physical boundaries and will remain fully open to all park users.

Q2.     What is the robust project plan?

A2.     A very detailed project plan which includes milestones, what needs to be achieved, and how the approach will be phased.  Through the project plan, all risk assessments will be under constant review with the input of the public in all phases.

Q3.     The main concerns appear to be the risk assessments, how many have been undertaken?

A3.     Assurance by Officers that a robust risk assessment process, enhanced over the past 1.5 years, had been conducted with continued engagement with relative partners such as Epping Forest and Cambridge. The Grazing Managers there provided invaluable expert information and advice for the scheme to be implemented in the safest way possible. Initial consultations last year highlighted some areas of concern and these risks have been factored into the assessment, revising it as changes identified. Further changes to enhance the experience and avoid risk is to introduce codes on  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

The original decision documents

The Call-In Lead, Cllr Reece Fox, summarised the points made during the discussion and called for the decision to be referred back to the Cabinet Member to be looked at again as he felt that his concerns had not been adequately addressed. 

The Chair, Cllr Margaret Greer, advised that as this was a trial project, there will be an opportunity to review some of the boundaries and the brook as the trial progresses.  The outcome of the “Meet the Cattle Days” will be clearer once more have taken place.  The Chair also reiterated again that in future examples and information relevant to the Call-In should be made available at the meeting.

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee considered the reasons provided for the Call-In and responses set out in the Officer’s report. Having considered the verbal responses and the information presented by the Cabinet Member for Public Spaces, Culture and Local Economy and relevant Officers, the Committee AGREED to confirm the original decision made by the Cabinet Member of Public Spaces, Culture and Local Economy.