Apologies for absence were received from Councillors R Hall, Mrs SA Hatton and Mrs DP Roberts and Stephen Bennett, Chairman of the Friends of Milton Country Park.

Councillors Mrs HM Smith and RT Summerfield, together with Paul Oldham declared an interest as members of Milton Parish Council.

To confirm the Minutes of the meeting held on 1 December 2005 as a correct record. 

The Minutes of the meeting held on 1 December 2005 were agreed as a correct record. 

Minute 4.1 – Dog Update – Following co-operation by the DVLA, a warning letter had been sent to the owner regarding the behaviour of his dog; the action appeared to be effective.

Minute 4.3 – Re-surfacing of paths – The worst areas had been re-surfaced; the process was ongoing.

Minute 5 – Capping and Public Consultation – The Ranger reported that, apparently as a result of the heightened publicity, there had been an increase in visitors to the Park.

Minute 6.8 and 6.9 – Increasing income at the Park – Not yet actioned due to lack of time resource, however ownership of areas within the Park was confirmed.

Minute 8 – Rangers Report – SM reported that there were considerable staffing problems at the Park with one vacancy and one member of staff on long-term sick leave. Although the Assistant Ranger post had been offered to two separate people, they had subsequently declined the offer; in part this may have been due to the uncertainty of the future of the Park. Temporary staff had been employed on short-term contracts.

To discuss the options arising from consideration by outside bodies regarding the future management of the park; as the deadline for responses is 12 May, they will be tabled at the meeting. 

As a result of the capping process, ways in which to reduce expenditure of the Park had been considered. Cabinet had subsequently discussed a report on the future of the Park at its meeting on 9 February 2006 and had agreed that a decision be deferred pending completion of an investigation into the feasibility of outsourcing its management, including consideration of all or any on-going financial implications for the Council.

Prior to a further report to Cabinet in June, the Advisory Group considered the options available for the future of the Park, together with the responses from organisations interested in managing the Park. The following options had been suggested and included:

• Outsourcing the management of the Park

• Partnership with other organisations – this lessoned the financial risk

• SCDC continuing to manage the Park - by raising income, eg introducing parking charges and increasing refreshment provision. (Parishioners had however made it known that were not in favour of parking charges)

Packs regarding the Management/Operation, Financial, Staffing and Legal information relating to the Park were sent to the following organisations who it was thought might be interested in managing the Park. These were:

• Cambridge Mencap
• Cambridge Preservation Society
• Milton Parish Council (at their request)
• The Varrier Jones Foundation
• The Wildlife Trust
• Cambridge City Council
• Huntingdonshire District Council
• RSPB
• National Trust

Of those organisations, responses were received from:

Hunts DC - Declined as being too far away.

Varrier Jones Foundation - the Chief Executive, John Willis had visited the park and, via e-mail, expressed an interest in managing the park as part of their rehabilitation programme for those persons having a disability or injury. A letter confirming interest was expected. (Subsequently, an e-mail has confirmed their trustees did not want to pursue this)

Cambridge Mencap – was interested in taking on the management, or possibly in forming a partnership arrangement with SCDC and looking for a long-term agreement to guarantee investment. It was anticipated they may want the existing visitor centre to be replaced altogether.

College of West Anglia – They had expressed an interest, by letter, after learning of this exercise and as a public organisation were looking for a negotiation on the terms prior to commitment.

Milton Parish Council – Proposed a charitable trust with a partnership organisation to form an overall community partnership for a local facility involving the parishioners. As a charity, eligibility for grants would become available that were not presently offered to the district council. The Parish Council confirmed its objection to parking charges, and its preference for the continuation of the education facilities rather than an increase in the refreshment facilities.

Cambridge Preservation Society – A letter was anticipated expressing interest, to follow up a recent e-mail.

The Friends of Milton Country Park had also been informed of the situation concerning the Park and had discussed at its last meeting the uncertainty about the Parks future. The Friends indicated that they would prefer for the existing arrangements to be  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

Members are asked to bring their diaries.

The next meeting would be held on Thursday, 20 July 2006 at 10am in the Visitors Centre. 

Please wear suitable footwear. 

Following the meeting, members of the Advisory Group looked at parts of the pathways that had been resurfaced, noted that trees had been cut back to let light and air to the bridge over the southern end of Halls Pool in order to alleviate the slippage problems and that in order to stabilise the jetty at Dickerson’s Pit, soil had been placed underneath.