25 Mar 2025, 19:04:13

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Dear Friends,

Dear Friends

Faye Thomas and I attended this last week as co-opted members, and we share with you this report of a meeting which felt more positive than many in the past! (Please see right at the end for the new email/phone contact for the Law Enforcement Team (LET) if you need to report anything)

First, however, two dates to ask you to ‘save’…..

FOWWS Nature Day on Sunday May 11th, to include bird walk, bat walk, butterfly walk, nature walk, all at suitable times of day, led by Kate McVay and others, avoiding sensitive areas and (we hope) celebrating the designation of the Meadow as a Local Nature Reserve.

FOWWS Dog Show, on Sunday July 27 – the fifth annual event, a good family day out, with fun dog-showing classes, refreshments, and so on.

Best wishes

Stephen Waley-Cohen

The Wormwood Scrubs Charitable Trust Committee meeting began with approval of the Minutes, from which Stephen received a confirmation that the hedge would be replanted that was removed for the refurbishment of the artificial pitches by Kensington Dragons, separating the pitches from the playground (past the pony centre towards Linford Christie Stadium)

The Alternative Ecology Masterplan - without the pond, borehole or hard paths – is making very slow progress through the complicated procurement process re3quired by Council regulations, and it seems unlikely that any actual work will start this year. It is now divided between the capital works and maintenance.

Paths and Signs – these will follow a separate plan, with Officers now better understanding the risk of anti-social use of hard paths which the FOWWS comments have highlighted in our comments, and they hope to share plans this summer.

IDVerde Maintenance contract – there was discussion about the decision to grant them an inflation increase, but Officers explained that this was also linked to satisfactory performance of their required activities.

Old Oak Community Centre, and the multi-use games facility (MUGA) behind it. It was revealed that the Trust had transferred the Centre to Peabody Housing in 2001, before the WSCT Committee was created, but that the MUGA was still part of the Trust, and it was agreed to re-surface it and manage it properly to achieve better use of this valuable facility.

Finance – the current year is expected to show a good surplus, and the next year to show a deficit, due to the timing of payments and activities. Taken together, there should be a small surplus. Stephen asked that the plans for enlarging and improving the dog exercise area be undertaken as soon as possible, following necessary consultations; and that the options appraisal for Park Lodge (now not fit to live in, and the tenant voluntarily leaving) should include the possibility of making it fit for Park Ranger(s) if a way can be found to create this role, likely to be more effective in managing behaviour than the LET. Both points were noted.

Local Nature Reserve status for the Meadow – this is proceeding, with Natural England acceptance, and following the necessary processes and assuming no major objections, a celebration (at Faye’s reminder - avoiding disturbance to birds nesting) will be planned for the spring/summer.

Strategy, Development and future planning – The Committee approved working on this to create a proper planning process for the longer term, certainly through to the opening of the HS2 station, under the headings:

Ensuring sustainable access to recreation and exercise

Preserving and enhancing the ecology of Wormwood Scrubs

Fostering health and educational outcomes through community engagement

Improving facilities and maintaining assets

Delivering financial security.

Linford Christie Development Programme – this is proceeding apace, with the portacabin replacement of the changing rooms and toilets complete and the community room nearly so. During the next two years, longer term plans will be considered; the Kensington Dragons artifgicial pitch resurfacing is going to schedule for completion by 21st July; improvements to the athletics track should also be completed by then. It was agreed, at Stephen’s suggestion, to seek local artists or schools to provide murals for the hoarding around the portacabins, as they will remain for at least 2 years.

Braybrook play area re-design

There is now a proper budget (£198,300, including s.106 funds) for equipment, access path, safety surfacing, and dog-proof fencing, separately for older and younger children. Faye will maintain as active an involvement in the detail as officers permit!

LET Report – with Calma K9 and Kensington Canine Club now banned from the Scrubs there has been a noticeable reduction in problems. However FOWWS Trustee Emma Ranson had reported to Officers and LET her intimidation by two walkers from unmarked vans each with 6 dogs, and Stephen noted that she had heard nothing back from LET, which didn’t give much confidence, and that she had provided Officers with the registration numbers of the vans. Stephen encouraged officers to ensure this was followed up.

It was suggested that any such behaviour if it amounted to intimidation was a police matter, for which Friends were encouraged to ring 999; The LET communication details were confirmed as having CHANGED to:

Phone: 020 8753 1100 (option 3, then option 1), or let...@lbhf.gov.uk

Report from WSCT Committee meeting March 18