BOROUGH OF POOLE ENVIRONMENT OVERVIEW & SCRUTINY COMMITTEE 17 JANUARY 2017 REPORT OF THE HEAD OF CULTURE & COMMUNITY LEARNING

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1 BOROUGH OF POOLE ENVIRONMENT OVERVIEW & SCRUTINY COMMITTEE 17 JANUARY 2017 REPORT OF THE HEAD OF CULTURE & COMMUNITY LEARNING UPTON COUNTRY PARK FORWARD PLAN PART OF THE PUBLISHED FORWARD PLAN - YES STATUS STRATEGIC / SERVICE DELIVERY 1 Purpose 1.1 To consider the future direction and the actions necessary to sustain and improve Upton Country Park (UCP). 2 Decision Required 2.1 Members are recommended to ask the Cabinet to: Adopt the new Forward Plan for Upton Country Park and for Officers to progress the actions included in the report Recognise the site s recent achievements and the significant contribution made by the Friends of Upton Country Park to ongoing improvements. 3 Background 3.1 The current Forward Plan provided a 3 year plan of activity aimed at improving the level & quality of service provision. The plan shaped the management and direction of the site and subsequent cross-service restructuring developed a clearer focus on delivering positive outcomes whilst reducing operational costs. 3.2 As well as providing the foundation for a range of improvements to facilities and services, its delivery has helped to significantly reduce the cost of operating the site. Realising some of the aspirations has been difficult to achieve whilst others have changed shape or timescale. The Vision and Aims have been revised within the new Forward Plan to account for emerging pressures and opportunities. 3.3 The plan details various designations and arrangements which both benefit and constrain UCP, retaining its character but impacting upon its operation. It is hoped that this information will reconcile some of the expectations for service enhancements. Page 1

2 4 Information Visitor Services UCP has become even more popular with local residents and tourists alike. Vehicles numbers entering the park have increased by 22% in 2016 to over 300,000/yr and there are now more than 750,000 visits to the site each year, making it one of the most popular Country Parks in the country. Improvements in the presentation, promotion and delivery of concessions, events and activities have been made. This includes the launch of the UCP Music Festival with international headliners, winter indoor soft play attraction and popular Christmas Grotto which sold more than 16,000 tickets in It was awarded a Certificate of Excellence by Trip Advisor and voted 9 th out of 49 Things to do in Dorset (prev. 10 th ), with 90% above average or excellent ratings. Social media engagement has increased significantly with nearly 8,000 Facebook likes (4,300 in 2015) and over 9,500 website visits each month (7,300 in 2015). Operations The estate has retained both the Green Flag and National Garden Scheme accreditations. It has also now a Green Heritage Site and recently achieved Country Park accreditation. Volunteers have contributed nearly 5,000 hours to support the estates maintenance and habitat improvement programme in 2016, with over 800hrs worked in November alone. Apprenticeships and work placements have also been supported in both the Operations and Visitor Service teams. Phase 2 of the Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace will open in 2017 providing an additional 6ha of open space. The design, delivery and integration of Phase 1 is recognised by Natural England as a model of good practise In 2016 the Council decided to introduce car parking charges, enabling us to invest 0.5m to improve our car parks in The works will also provide more year round parking spaces and enhance cycle and footpath links Catering During 2015/16 the UCP catering operation was transferred from Adult Social Care to Culture & Community Learning, with a clear focus to deliver a more commercial operation. Since then, the Tea Rooms have been refurbished improving the number of visits and overall income (up 27%), a new staff structure introduced which continues to provide supported employment opportunities and menus & products which are refreshed seasonally. Catering facilities have required a programme of ongoing investment to improve the delivery & offer and satisfy H&S requirements. A break even position is forecast for 2017/18 with an anticipated surplus of 50k the target for 2018/19. This represents a reduction in annual costs of 110k to the Council compared with prior / current year deficits. Page 2

3 4.3.3 The catering facilities have attained a Food Hygiene Rating 5 (very good) standard and the Tea Rooms has been voted runner up for Best Family Friendly Place to Eat by the Dorset Primary Times Reader Star Awards Friends of Upton Country Park UCP benefits significantly from a supportive and dedicated Friends Groups. The Friends of UCP is a voluntary organisation with more than 250 members who have worked tirelessly to help improve and enhance the estate since Raising money through event, Plant Centre and Kiosk operations the Friends continue to work closely with the Council to improve the site. Since their formation they have donated nearly 800k to projects in the House & Park. This enabled the site to invest over 45k during into a range of equipment and improvements including room decoration, new welcome and interpretation signage, a wood chipper, a chainsaw and an all-terrain vehicle The Friends constitution and charitable status restricts the allocation of funds however their Management Team are keen to work with the Council to support the betterment of the estate and visitor experience alike. The Friends of UCP have been consulted during the development of the updated Forward Plan and their assistance in helping to shape its content is greatly appreciated. 5 The Forward Plan 5.1 The Forward Plan set out a new agenda to enable transformational change in the management and delivery of UCP whilst seeking to retain, protect and conserve facilities. 5.2 The Forward Plan aims to build upon the successes of the 2014 plan by continuing to sustain & improve the site. It outlines the Council s future objectives and aspirations for UCP and details the actions necessary to achieve them. Key objectives over the next 3 years are to: Conserve & enhance facilities Maintain and improve the natural & built heritage supported by Heritage Lottery Funding, adding new facilities & attractions whilst protecting listed buildings, SSSI and RAMSAR sites. Balance the budget Deliver a financially sustainable park for future generations to enjoy, by generating additional visits, extending commercial activities and reducing dayto-day running costs. Provide effective management & governance Continue to evolve governance, partnerships and volunteer opportunities to deliver a structure that is fit for purpose and provides value for money. Page 3

4 6 Financial Implications 6.1 A primary objective of the Forward Plan is to generate additional income and seek external funding to support the ongoing maintenance and development of the park and sustain it for future generations to enjoy. 6.2 On-going changes are therefore required to the management of operational and commercial services and the involvement of volunteers and external organisations will be important in sustaining and developing services. 6.3 A second new area of Suitable Accessible Natural Greenspace (SANG) will open to the public in 2017, further increasing the size of the park. Initial enhancement works for the SANG are being funded predominantly by the Heathland Mitigation Fund however, the Council is required to find additional resources for the management and maintenance of the land. 6.4 Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) Discussions are ongoing with HLF regarding the structure and timing of a bid for UCP. Funding is needed to conserve & enhance existing infrastructure and create new facilities, improve the visitor experience and offer increased opportunities to access the rich and varied Estate heritage. A successful bid will provide vital improvements; a shoreline wetland centre; a welcome centre; the re-introduction of historical pathways & features; improved access to Upton House; and high-quality interpretation displays Throughout an extensive evidence base for a bid has been developed however, in the context of their current financial position, HLF s advice is to avoid overlap between UCP and Poole Park HLF projects and to sequence a series of smaller bids from different funds for UCP, over a longer time period. 6.5 Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) The MTFP Forecast for the UCP revenue budget is shown in the table below. 2016/ / / /20 Baseline Net Annual Savings (107) (51) (24) (28) 2016/17 savings agreed by Members through Annual / CBM process savings will be presented to Members for approval in Feb Revised (Annual Subsidy) Page 4

5 7 Legal Implications 7.1 The Forward Plan recognises the Council has statutory obligations in the care and protection of Upton House as a Grade II* Listed Building and cartilage, and the care and protection of wildlife species and habitat. 8 Policy Implications 8.1 UCP contributes to the Council s objectives and priorities - most significantly to: Protecting and Enhancing our natural & built heritage by skilled stewardship of natural assets and sympathetic enhancements Promoting Health & Well Being through provision of outdoor activities and opportunities to learn Supporting local people to take greater control of their communities by engaging with volunteers and community groups 9 Risk Management 9.1 The planned and steady development of activities and facilities at Upton Country Park will assist the Council in meeting its legal obligations to care for and protect the Grade II* Listed Building and curtilage. 9.2 This robust Forward Plan will support the Councils aspiration that the park can become fully self-sustaining, reducing the risks associated with a reliance on direct Council funding. 9.3 The current position of the Heritage Lottery means that enhancements planned via this Fund may be difficult to achieve and/or take longer than originally desired. Officers are working hard to determine the most appropriate make-up and sequence of bids, whilst continuing to explore the viability of other external funding streams. 10 Equalities Implications 10.1 The Equalities Act 2010 legally protects people from discrimination in the workplace and in wider society. Through the Act it is against the law to discriminate against anyone because of nine protected characteristics, including when using public services As such, the Borough of Poole seeks to ensure that the services and facilities at UCP are accessible to all wherever practicable. 11 Environmental Impact 11.1 One of the Aspirations identified within the Forward Plan is to reduce carbon emissions and develop sustainable energy sources. A number of projects are currently being explored to support this. Page 5

6 12 Planning Implications 12.1 Development of some of UCP s facilities will be subject to permission from the Local Planning Authority. As these works could either fall within Green Belt, SANG, Listed Building curtilage or another local authority boundary, there are risks of not gaining planning approval. There is also a risk that facilities such as the proposed wetland centre could be resisted or face costly mitigations, due to nature conservation issues. 13 Conclusion 13.1 The adoption and implementation of the Forward Plan presents the Council with an exciting opportunity to continue to improve Poole s only Country Park for the benefit of residents and visitors of all ages. KEVIN McERLANE HEAD OF CULTURE & COMMUNITY LEARNING Contact Officer: Anthony Rogers, Recreation & Community Manager Ext 1345 Background Papers: Draft UCP Forward Plan & Action Plan Page 6