Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.

Apologies for absence were received from: Doug Wilkinson (Director of Environment & Street Scene), Dennis Stacey (Bush Hill Park Conservation Area Study Group), Juliet Barnett (Trent Park Conservation Committee) who was substituted by Carol Fisk, Paul Hutchinson (Grange Park Conservation Area Study Group), and Denise Gandhi (Southgate Green Association).

To receive and agree the minutes of the previous meeting held on Tuesday 25 April 2023.

AGREED the minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 25 April 2023 as a correct record.

Members of the Forum asked if there was an update on who owns Mossops Creek; Martin Rattigan agreed to follow up on this.

To discuss arising topics to be considered for the 2023/24 Environment Forum Work Programme.

Members of the Forum discussed a variety of topics they wanted to see considered for the 2023/24 Environment Forum Work Programme.

The Chair asked that members work towards having 2-3 items per meeting.

The use of pesticides/chemicals was discussed as an issue that a member of the Forum would email officers to ask about separately.

The Forum provided some specific lines of enquiry they would like to receive updates on/ discuss at the meetings, with regards to the items put forward for the work programme, as attached below.

Telecom/mono-poles were described as an issue that the council had little control over, that was dealt with more by the Planning department, that residents could lobby their councillors about, and that Sarah Cary, Executive Director of Housing, Regeneration and Development, would look at and feedback on the potential for working towards having more control over, as part of the Local Plan.

The Chair agreed to circulate the briefing she had received from the Planning team/ department on telecom poles to members of the Forum.

With regards to an ‘any other business’ item being added to the agenda, the Chair said that she would allow minor announcements at the end of meetings if time permitted, and that if members wanted to give larger updates or had specific issues, relating to items on the agenda that they wanted to see discussed, they should contact her in advance of the meeting to see if such discussions could be arranged.

Members of the Forum asked for the maintenance of a table of actions, for these actions to be followed up with, and to receive updates at meetings when tasks assigned to officers are completed.

To agree the items for the Environment Forum Work Programme for the current Municipal Year, 2023/24.

Members agreed the items that would be put on the Environment Forum 2023/24 Work Programme, as attached below.

Sarah Cary, Executive Director of Housing, Regeneration and Development, agreed to review the items proposed for each meeting to see if they were feasible/ could be better rearranged.

To note that the dates of future meetings are as follows:

Monday 18 September 2023

Tuesday 28 November 2023

Wednesday 10 January 2024

Tuesday 16 April 2024

Members noted the dates of future meetings as shown on the agenda.

The meeting ended at 19:59.