Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Matt Rumble.

If a Councillor has a disclosable pecuniary interest in a particular item, whether or not it is entered in the Authority’s register of interests, or any other significant interest which they consider should be declared in the public interest, they should declare the existence and, unless it is a sensitive interest as defined in the Member Code of Conduct, the nature of the interest at the commencement of the consideration of that item or as soon as it becomes apparent.

At meetings where members of the public are allowed to be in attendance and speak, any Councillor with a disclosable pecuniary interest or other significant interest may also make representations, give evidence or answer questions about the matter.  The Councillor must then withdraw immediately from the meeting before the matter is discussed and any vote taken.

Where Members of the public are not allowed to be in attendance and speak, then the Councillor with a disclosable pecuniary interest should withdraw from the meeting whilst the matter is under consideration. Councillors who have declared other significant interests should also withdraw from the meeting if they consider their continued participation in the matter would not be reasonable in the circumstances and may give rise to a perception of a conflict of interest.

Councillors are not obliged to withdraw from the meeting where a dispensation to that effect has been obtained from the Audit, Pensions and Standards Committee.

The Chair carried out a roll call to confirm attendance. There were no declarations of interest.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 15^th December 2020.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 15^th December 2021 were approved.

This report presents the Wormwood Scrubs Charitable Trust Annual Trustee’s Report which includes the draft 2019/20 financial accounts.

Chris Harris, Advisor to the Trust, presented the report and provided a brief overview of the key points arising from the Statement of Account and Trustee’s report. It was noted that the Trust delivered a surplus for the year of £147,205. This was the third surplus in recent years. This surplus was substantially underpinned by the additional income from the Kensington Aldridge occupation of the Scrubs. Further details on the financial performance could be found within the Statement of Accounts and Trustee’s report

Stuart McKay (MHA MacIntyre Hudson) provided a summary of the Audit Findings report for the year ended 31^st March 2020, noting the following key points:

• MHA MacIntyre Hudson remained independent to the Charitable Trust within the meaning of regulatory and professional requirements.
• An overview was provided on the key areas of audit focus which had been identified as part of the overall audit strategy and how they had been resolved.
• The audit work on the financial statements was now substantially complete and the Auditors anticipated issuing an unqualified audit opinion for the year ended 31^st  March 2020 for the Charity.
• The audit findings and the areas reviewed were outlined, these included audit misstatements, risk of fraud and error in the financial statements, accounting policies and accounting estimates.

The Chair asked if there was a penalty to the Trust for filing late. In response Chris Harris noted that there was no penalty and the Trust had dispensation to file until the end of March 2021.

Stephen Waley-Cohen (Co-opted member) asked for clarification to be provided on whether the Auditors were independent to the Trust and separate to the Council. In response Stuart McKay confirmed that MHA MacIntyre Hudson were appointed as independent Auditors, specifically for the Trust.

Miriam Shea (Co-opted member) noted that she would send Chris Harris some minor comments on the Annual report so that it could be updated.

Action – Miriam Shea

Miriam Shea (Co-opted member) asked for some clarification to be provided on the income received from other trading activities and from donations and grants. Stuart explained that the income from other trading activities related to the rent received from Kensington Aldridge Academy and income from donations and grants related to the HS2 environmental remediation works.

Stephen Waley-Cohen (Co-opted member) asked a question concerning the treatment of the rental income received in respect of the Pony Centre and whether this was credited to the Council or the Trust. In response Chris Harris noted that a formal response would be circulated to the Committee, once this matter had been investigated.

Action – Chris Harris

Resolved:

That the Committee:

-        Approved the Trustee’s Annual Report, attached as Appendix A.

-        Approved the 2019/20 financial accounts for Wormwood Scrubs Charitable Trust (“the Trust”), incorporated as part of the Annual Report (Appendix A).

-        Approved the management representation letter (attached as Appendix B).

-        Noted the contents of the annual risk assessment (contained in the Trustee’s report on page 25).

-        Noted that the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

The Committee is asked to approve and note all matters in the report.

Steve Hollingworth, Advisor to the Trust introduced the report.

HS2 Bill Alternative Ecological Mitigation

Heather Marsh, Advisor to the Trust noted that the Ecological masterplan presented on the 30^th of June to the Wormwood Scrubs Charitable Trust was taken to a subgroup on 29^th October 2020. Three options drawn up by consultants were considered at the subgroup meeting on the 17th March, with the aim of recommending a preferred option. A detailed discussion was had at the subgroup meeting regarding all three options, and the preferred choice was option 3.

Heather provided a short presentation on the Ecological masterplan, the recommendations made at the meeting and the reasons why some features were not supported by the subgroup.

The Chair requested that the Ecological masterplan be circulated to the Committee.

Action: Heather Marsh

Members requested that the details of the final masterplan be made available to the public as soon as possible. The Chair asked that an additional engagement event be held to share the plans with the public when they were finalised.

Action: Heather Marsh

Councillor Helen Rowbottom asked for a summary to be provided on the new features that were recommended to be included in the master plan by the subgroup. Heather Marsh provided a breakdown of the new features agreed by the subgroup, these included meadow management to improve biodiversity, increasing tree planting on the Scrubs, woodland management of the existing trees and woods on the Scrubs and introducing additional signage in some of the main entrance points of the Scrubs.

Members requested that the Ecological masterplan and report, including the visualisations be published on the Council’s website.

Action: Heather Marsh

Members considered the subgroups recommendations for approval and agreed for these to be progressed.

HS2 – Access to Trust Land

Steve noted that planning permission had been approved for the alternative access from Old Oak Common Lane. This route provided temporary access for HS2 to the areas defined for their work within the Government Act. Agreement of a lease for this access should be completed by 22/03/21.

To enable the alternative route, a temporary route for light vehicles on matting was agreed from Braybrook Street, to carry out the vegetation clearance works. These works had to be done before the bird nesting season to minimise impact and disturbance of wildlife.

Concerns had been raised by residents that the agreed method statements for the vegetation clearance was not being followed. Officers had been on site daily to check that the agreed method of working was being followed.

Protestors against HS2 set up camp within the HS2 working area adjacent to Chats Paddock. HS2 took action to liaise with the protestors and demarcate their site with fencing. Wet weather later that afternoon meant that HS2’s continued action to manage the protestors caused considerable damage to an area of grassland used as a main access way by members of the public. Action had been taken to reinstate this damage and provide alternative access for members of the public.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.