To consider the attached report.

The Executive Member for Environmental Services noted that the item was requested to come to the Committee following a motion by Council. The Council’s green spaces were very popular and the Council were committed to protect them. Within the report the pros and cons of each option the Council could take to protect its green spaces was listed. The Executive Member for Environmental Services drew attention to the option of placing green spaces within Fields in Trust which provided excellent protection but could also prevent enhancements within those spaces.

The Director of Growth and Regulatory Services spoke of the differences in situation between Liverpool City Council (who had committed to placing all of the areas green spaces into Fields in Trust) and Trafford, which had had a comparatively large number of sites available for development. The Director of Growth and Regulatory Services informed the Committee about Trafford’s Fields in Trust organisation and assured members that the Council would continue to use that approach The Director of Growth and Regulatory Services concluded the introduction by bringing the committees attention to the other forms of protection that were in place for green spaces which related to various pieces of legislation.

Councillor Coggins noted that the areas which had been placed into trusts were all areas where a large public outcry had been received and asked whether that was a factor in which sites were chosen rather than the environmental benefit. The Executive Member for Environmental Services responded that many reasons were put forward when considering the applications to place a space into Fields in Trust and that an analysis of the decisions made would need to look at each application rather than identifying patterns retrospectively. The Director of Growth and Regulatory Services stated that he would reply in writhing about the selection of the sites in question.

Council Walsh asked whether it was a cart blanche approach or if it was an approach that could be applied to areas identified with a community group were well positioned to support it. The Executive Member for Environmental Services responded that it was done on a case-by-case basis and how the Council strive to use the right approach at the right time. There were multiple other approaches, such as village green proposals, which could be taken to protect a space and a decision on which approach to take was reached on each application following in-depth review and consultation.

Committee Members raised concerns that the report did not contain adequate information relating to the possible costs involved in moving all green spaces into Fields in Trust. Committee Members agreed that there was insufficient information provided within the report for them to make a recommendation to Council. The Committee agreed to receive further information via email and they would decide how to proceed once they had that information.

RESOLVED:

1)    That the report be noted.

2)    That a written response on the reasons for the selection of spaces to be placed into Fields in Trust be sent to Councillor Coggins.

3)    That additional information be sent to Committee Members via email.

4)    That the topic be considered further by the Committee before a recommendation to Council is agreed.