Agenda item

To receive any Members' questions.

Councillor L Corpe asked the Executive Member for Environmental Sustainability the following question:

“Noting the recent successes of ‘Wildflower Verges’ in increasing biodiversity in roadside verges, while reducing maintenance costs, and noting the motion on this topic considered by Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) on 16 July 2019, how will the Portfolio Holder work with HCC to identify suitable locations in East Herts and implement the scheme here?”

Councillor G McAndrew thanked Councillor Corpe for advance notice of the question.  He said he shared his wish that 'Wildflower Verges' be planted to increase biodiversity in roadside verges, while reducing maintenance costs across the District.

Councillor McAndrew described in detail the scheme considered by HCC.  The verges were a mix of annuals, with a long flowering season achieved by using a successional approach.

He said HCC had referred the question of wildflower verges to the appropriate Cabinet panel, and he would be happy to speak with Councillor Corpe further on the work being progressed. 

Councillor McAndrew described the maintenance of meadowland and parks managed by East Herts.  Meadowland, such as the chalk banks in Southern Country Park, Bishop’s Stortford, was managed with “cut and collect” maintenance. Extensive areas of parkland were grazed, such as in Pishiobury Park in Sawbridgeworth; the Red, White and Blue area in Bishop’s Stortford and at Hartham Common in Hertford.  Councillor McAndrew said he hoped the Council could implement grazing at an area of land in Kecksys, Sawbridgeworth but it had not yet been possible to secure this arrangement.  In the meantime, the Council would arrange a cut and collect there later in the year.

Councillor McAndrew said the Council was holding back grass cutting on some of its verges where it found significant wildflowers and was working with the County Council through its connection with Countryside Management Services to find opportunities in all its parks to manage them sensitively.  The Council ensured that wide areas of grassland around the circumference of many of its parks and open spaces were cut less frequently than the main grass areas.  It was necessary to cut many of the parks more frequently to facilitate participation in leisure activities such as ballgames.

In conclusion, Councillor McAndrew said the Council was working in partnership with Countryside Management Services and Highways on their verges but that as East Herts did not own any Highway verges, questions regarding those verges needed to be directed to Highways. 

Councillor Corpe confirmed he did not intend to ask a further question, and thanked Councillor McAndrew for his reply.

Councillor H Drake asked the Executive Member for Planning and Growth the following question:

“What steps are being taken to ensure the continued provision of the successful Launchpad scheme, which has so far helped over 134 businesses in Bishop’s Stortford, once Charringtons House is demolished as part of the Old River Lane redevelopment?”

Councillor J Goodeve thanked Councillor Drake for the advance notice of her question.  She confirmed that as at the end of June, the total number of users of the Launchpad business innovation facility was 140.  Currently there were 29 paying members.  Since piloting the scheme, the Council had continued to fund the facility in order to meet demand.  The level of business users now meant the Council was breaking even on income/expenditure.  Launchpad clearly proved there was a need for flexible working space in Bishop’s Stortford.  The Council wished to continue supporting the scheme. 

Councillor Goodeve said officers were considering how a Launchpad facility could continue to be provided in or around the Bishop’s Stortford area, in view of the Old River Lane plans.  Options being considered were Northgate End car park, which would include office space within the site, accessible on the ground floor.  Whilst no planning application had yet been made to the Old River Lane site, another option could be significant amounts of commercial space, above retail units.

As the plans progress officers would continue to work on finding a suitable site in one of these two locations.  It was helpful that Launchpad was now self-financing, as the Council would not be subsidising what would be prime commercial space when developments were completed. 

Councillor Drake thanked Councillor Goodeve for her response, and confirmed she did not wish to ask a further question.