On Monday we’ll be submitting MUG’s comments on LBH’s proposed new Parks Events Policy. If you have thoughts please let me have them by the end of Sunday, either by email or here. The draft policy can be downloaded here.

The policy would allow more and bigger events in the park. Income from events will go to LBH funds up to an annual target; any surplus goes to the park.The user group will be charged £50 for an event with more than 250 attending.

Currently we have the fun fair, the fun day and little events such as sponsored walks & doctor bikes. This would allow:

• 1 fenced (ticketed) event per year 10,000 maximum capacity (South Millfields)
• 2 large scale (>1000 attendance) Community events per year numbers to be set by LBH on basis of application
• 1 fun fair per year
• 1 circus per year
• 2 corporate / brand events per year
• 5 private/family celebration events per year

The application and consultation process is rationalised: whether to the detriment of the user group is something we’re trying to work out.

From our LBH Parks Development Officer, Bruce Irving

“Millfields Masterplan

The Millfields Park User group identified a number of projects from the masterplan as their priority for the park, the improvement of play facilities in the park was one of these.   It is the intention to use £100k of funding sourced from  Section 106 agreements derived from developments around Millfields to deliver improvements to the existing play area.   We are currently awaiting internal approvals to progress with this project.  The redevelopment of the play area will be undertaken in association with the local community and consultation will take place enabling individuals to feed their views in to the improvements. 

Project 9 of the Millfields masterplan is also being explored.  A new path is being designed which will connect the central path running through South Millfields with the existing path running alongside the River Lea and the waste transfer station.  Once a path line has been drafted, it will be passed to the user group and other interested parties for their comment.  At this point in time there is no confirmation on whether the external funding proposed for this development is available.   

A licence exists between National Grid and LBH enabling an area of the park to be used to aid the construction of the substation upgrade at Millfields.  This licence agreement will provide an income £34k to LBH annually for the duration of the 7 year agreement.  The agreement commenced on 1st October 2007.  The monies paid to date are currently residing in a ring fenced account within the parks budget for the delivery of priority projects from the Millfields Masterplan as agreed by the Millfields User Group and Hackney Councils Parks Department.  This fund currently totals approximately £120k.”