Agenda item

Councillor Richard Watts, Leader of the Council was present for discussion of this item and made a presentation to Members.

During consideration of the presentation the following main points were made –

·         It was noted that the report e-mailed to Members of the Committee prior to the Committee from Air Quality Consultants on BBQ smoke at Highbury Fields could not be considered that evening due to legal advice, however a response would be sent in due course

·         Councillor Watts stated that the Council had introduced the BBQ policy as a result of 80% of Islington residents living in flats and added only 1 in every 6/7 residents have access to a garden or open space. He BBQ policy had proved a popular policy to date but is under constant monitoring

·         Councillor Watts stated that whilst he accepted that some residents around Highbury Fields were unhappy certain measures had been introduced to assist with their concerns

·         In relation to health implications from the smoke from the BBQ’s, this has been looked at on the basis of the Kings College report in 2015 and World Health guidelines and it was not felt that the smoke was within these guidelines and British legal requirements

·         In response to a question about the cost to the Council of the use of BBQ’s on Highbury Fields it was stated that this was met from the Council’s maintenance budget

·         Reference was also made to the numbers of people allowed to attend a BBQ and it was stated that the number of people allowed by Islington to attend a BBQ is more than Camden, however this could always be kept under review if there were problems

·         A Member thanked the Council for being responsive to complaints from her and putting measures in place to alleviate the problems of the BBQ’s on Highbury Fields, however she felt that the Council needed to look at their policy again, given the huge amounts of smoke emanating from Highbury Fields when BBQ’s took place and the health implications and impact on residents. The Member added that the Council should consider picnics instead of BBQ’s. It was stated that there would still be costs involved for the Council in clearing rubbish and in supervision. Councillor Watts added that there is nothing to stop residents having picnics at present if they wished to do so

·         A Member also stated that she felt that residents who had asthma could not use Highbury Fields on BBQ days and the Council had a duty of care towards all its residents. There were also people using Highbury Fields engaging in physical activity and the health implications on these residents also needed to be considered and the Council needed to consider the health risks for local residents and introduce communal gas BBQ’s or stalls that sell hot food instead of allowing individual BBQ’s

·         Councillor Watts responded that the cost and complexities involved, including the dangers of calor gas, in arranging the use of communal gas BBQ’s and food stalls had been looked at, but was not considered appropriate. Communal gas BBQ’s had been trialled in L.B. Southwark, however it had not been successful

·         A Member referred to the fact that he had lived in the area for over 20 years and expressed his appreciation of the work done by Council staff at the BBQ’s and there were risks involved in many activities that took place and that in his view the benefits outweighed the disadvantages

·         Councillor Watts stated that BBQ’s were taking place at other venues in the borough, however the only complaints that had been received were in relation to Highbury Fields

·         A resident expressed concern that people from outside the borough were coming to Highbury Fields and having BBQ’s and his enjoyment was being affected. Councillor Watts responded that many local residents were also attending and that if people were coming in from outside the borough this was bringing in investment and money into local shops

·         A Member stated that she was concerned at BBQ’s in Gillespie Park and that this could be dangerous, given the long grass there, and that it was also not appropriate, given the siting of the Ecology Centre there. Councillor Watts stated that there had been no BBQ related fires at Gillespie Park to date and the fire that had taken place there had been as a result of criminal arson. He added that if the Committee wished to recommend Gillespie Park not being suitable to hold BBQ’s they could do so

·          A Member enquired whether BBQ;s could be held at one end of Highbury Fields, thus eliminating BBQ smoke being spread all over the fields. Councillor Watts stated that if the Committee wished to recommend  this it could be considered, but there would be additional costs in supervising this

·         A Member stated that she did not feel that moving the BBQ’s to one end of the fields would solve the problem, as not many BBQ;s took place at the northern end of Highbury Fields, so this would not address the health issues

·         In response to a question it was stated that consultation had taken place on the BBQ policy, however a local resident stated that a petition had been submitted to ban BBQ’s on Highbury Fields last September

·         Reference was made as to whether BBQ’s could be held on Council estates and it was stated that these would be broadly allowed if there was no danger to health and safety. A Member expressed the view that she did not think that the residents of Highbury Quadrant Estate would welcome this and that there would be an enormous number of complaints if BBQ’s took place on the estate

·         In response to a question Councillor Watts stated that whilst detailed discussion could not take place because of the legal advice on health issues that evening, he would ask Councillor Webbe to update the Committee on this issue when she presented her Annual Executive Member report to the Committee later in the year

·         A member of the public stated that he lived near Highbury Fields and his enjoyment of using the fields was spoilt by BBQ smoke and his enjoyment was as important as other residents having BBQ’S. Councillor Watts responded that the Council felt it important to balance all views, however green space was limited in Islington and the Council were trying to provide facilities for the enjoyment of BBQ’s for a wide number of people

·         Councillor Russell referred to the implications on limit values and air cooling and that these should be looked at

RESOLVED:

(a)  That Councillor Webbe be requested, if legal advice allows, to report back when presenting her Annual Executive Member report on the health implications of BBQ’s in relation to Highbury Fields

(b)  That consideration be given to whether Gillespie Park should be included in the open spaces where BBQ’s are allowed and any health implications in this regard

(c)  That the implications of limit values and the air cooling ruling be taken into consideration in relation to the above