LEISURE AND COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE

Public QUESTIONS - Thursday 25 January 2001

Questions to the Chairman, Councillor Chris Gaster

Four (written) questions were put by Nick Goy to the committee and the first three were answered at length by the chairman at the meeting - summary notes from NG are shown below. Since time ran out to take the fourth question, the answer was received in written form and is reproduced in full. That letter dated 26 January 2001, contained the following comments:

"Thank you for your letter of 25th January and I detail below your question on tree felling in Crystal Palace Park and the response. I note from your letter that you also wanted responses to your other three questions; as you will know, we do not reproduce the full answer, rather it is a minute on the main points. This cannot be completed today but I will make sure we get it to you as soon as possible."

Question 1: L&RP's licensing application hearing (27, 28 & 30 Nov 2000)

At the 3-day Crystal Palace drinks licences hearing (applicant: Geoff Springer of L&RP), who authorised and what was the cost of, the Council's
(a) legal team (QC, barrister and pupil)
(b) officer team (3 senior & one junior officer)?

Answer:
(a) £8,650 - counsel for two days, pupil for one day
(b) .."not their practice to break down officer costs..."; "...there as a statutory committee..."; "...more heavily represented than usual..."; "... in case planning matters raised..."

 

Question 2: Crystal Palace Park Hilltop - Security compound costs

The P&R committee of 28/7/99 agreed £2.7 million provision for eviction of Crystal Palace environmental protesters including £30,000 for fencing and £306,000 for 'ongoing security'.
(a) Has L&RP taken over security since then
(b) What is the Council's security cost to date?

Answer:
(a) Yes, from 1/10/99.
(b) No more than the £300k budgeted for.

Question 3: Progress on 'disposing' of Crystal Palace Park hilltop

The Millennium Dome is being sold for £9m/acre and industrial/leisure/retail land costs £3-4m/acre. Other than a deposit, has L&RP yet paid the Council its bargain £6m in 'premium' for 12 acres (at £0.5m/acre) of the Crystal Palace hilltop?

Answer: Not prepared to give further information.

Question 4: Tree felling on Crystal Palace Park Ridge

Are the trees on the Crystal Palace Park hilltop proposed development site going to be felled before the nesting season starts in March and/or before the European Commission has ruled whether an Environmental Impact Assessment should have been conducted before deciding the planning application?

Answer: The development of the site, in accordance with the planning permission which has been granted, will require the felling of trees. The commencement date of the development is a matter for the developer in consultation with the Council. We will, of course, meet all relevant legal obligations.


Top of page; HOME-letters table

created: 31/1/01 Last updated 3/2/01: this contains the more complete version of questions from Nick Goy and answers from the committee chairman.