Dear Sir / Madam

I am pleased to acknowledge your request for information, which has been allocated the reference number NELC/31113/2425.

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Please feel free to contact me if you require any further information or assistance quoting the reference number above.

Yours sincerely

North East Lincolnshire Council

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Dear Sir / Madam

 

Thank you for your information request, reference number NELC/31113/2425.
I can confirm that North East Lincolnshire Council holds the following
information:

 

1) Who made the decision to remove the Cleethorpes hedge maze prior peak
tourist season? and did the Portfolio Holder Hayden Dawkins have prior
knowledge of its removal

 

The decision to remove the play equipment from Cleethorpes Maze was an
operational decision taken by the Environment Team, in consultation with
Portfolio Holder for Environment in 2019, following an arson attack. 

 

There was further a commitment made by the service in 2019 to look at a
redesign of the vegetation of the area, noting the ongoing Anti-Social
Behaviour (ASB) and criminal damage events, pending identification of
appropriate funding. The request for future park design to produce a
better park layout, that designed out any current ASB hotspots was fed
into the Cleethorpes Masterplan.

 

The Cleethorpes Masterplan, which was subject to considerable
consultation, proposed a new vision for Pier Garden which was based on a
complete re-design and replacement of the park. The Cleethorpes
Masterplan, including the Pier Gardens concept, was approved by Cabinet on
March 16^th 2022.

 

2) Please provide all correspondence between officers from NELC and the
above tourism portfolio holder regarding the hedge removal matter

 

No information is held.

 

Cllr Dawkins was not the Tourism Portfolio Holder, either in 2019, or
16^th March 2022.

 

3) Please provide the number of antisocial behaviour incidents for each
year of the last 5 years that have occurred within the maze.

 

There was one reported Anti-Social Behaviour incident in 2022 in respect
to the maze, with several more within Pier Gardens, via the Police and
North East Lincolnshire Council, which captures reported criminal
incidents.

 

However, not all anti-social behaviour is classed as a criminal offence.
North East Lincolnshire Council had responsibility for maintaining and
cleaning the maze area via its Street Cleaning and Grounds Maintenance
teams, who have reported, over several years, that examples of anti-social
behaviour were a daily occurrence during regular patrols within the maze
area.  Examples of this behaviour include, having to clear human
excrement, litter and drug paraphernalia.  In addition, the teams have
reported examples of vandalism within the maze, including broken walkway
boards and arson. 

 

4) Please provide copies of the stated ecological reports in relation to
the hedge removal and other trees within the Pier Gardens area

 

No ecological reports are held. This is normal practice for inhouse
professional services, providing internal advice in verbal or email format
to colleagues.

 

The removal of the maze and the timing for the removal was supported by
the Council’s Ecology Team.  Cleethorpes is part of the Humber SSSI which
provides protection of global importance as a resting and feeding ground
for migrating birds. The most sensitive period for the protected species
relying on the SSSI ecosystem is November to March, meaning the Council
would whenever possible, schedule noisy work outside the winter season. To
schedule work to parks, trees and hedgerows during the summer season is
the norm around the Humber SSSI, subject to Ecology advice to prevent
impact on any nesting birds. The team completing the removal was briefed
and trained on the standing advice for nesting birds, instructed to carry
out detailed checks both ahead and during the works and that in the event
a nest was found that all work should cease immediately.  The work
supervisor has confirmed that all requested checks were completed, and no
nesting birds were present in the maze during the removal works.

 

5) Why was the hedge maze removed whilst consultations are still ongoing

 

The removal took place after the conclusion of the public consultation and
results known, which produced no adverse reaction in relation to the maze
not being shown within the proposed scheme.

 

In addition, the maze removal was pre-planned, pre-dating the Cleethorpes
Masterplan, as outlined above regarding the commitment made by the service
in 2019 to look at a redesign of the vegetation of the area, pending
identification of appropriate funding. This work was then overtaken by and
fed into Cleethorpes Masterplan.

 

The Cleethorpes Masterplan, which was subject to considerable
consultation, proposed a new vision for Pier Garden which was based on a
complete re-design and replacement of the park. The redesign did not
include any of the old features, apart from the memorials and waterfall.  
The Cleethorpes Masterplan, including the Pier Gardens concept, was
approved by Cabinet on March 16^th 2022. 

 

The removal of the maze formed part of the early enabling works for the
redevelopment of Pier Gardens, alongside other works carried out at the
same time.  The proposed concept designs for Pier Gardens align with the
Cleethorpes Masterplan concept and don’t include the maze, so it was not
shown in any of the proposed designs, and no adverse comments were
received regarding this.  

 

6) It’s been quoted in the press that the armed forces team will be using
the area and funding any temporary resurfacing, please provide all
correspondence between NELC and the Armed forces team regarding this
matter

 

No information is held.

 

Armed Forces team were a consultee and expressed from the start, their
desire for features that might attract ASB in the area to be removed and
that it would install a temporary surface on the site of the maze.

 

This was raised as part of the Armed Forces Team’s process to arrange the
Armed Forces Weekend, but the Council does not hold any recorded
information regarding this process. 

 

7) The maze removal and the re-development of that area was not included
in any prior plans or consultations, hence why is it occurring?

 

Further to previous responses, removal of the maze was originally shown as
a concept within the Cleethorpes Masterplan, which was developed using
extensive consultation with stakeholders and the wider public and approved
by Cabinet in March 2022. 

 

8) Please provide evidence of the recommendations to remove the hedge maze
based on its condition, who undertook these assessments and please provide
a copy of them

 

The assessment that the maze no longer had any play value, and that the
platform structure was no longer repairable was made by the team
responsible for play equipment inspections and maintenance, in line with
our scheduled programme of playground equipment checks.

 

As these records are historic (date back more than 5 years) and not
digital, they have not been retained.

 

9) is the armed forces team part of or associated with NELC, hence is the
taxpayer funding the resurfacing works

 

The Armed Forces team is an independent organisation. 

 

Removal of the maze was funded by the Levelling Up Fund grant, which is
funding the wider redevelopment of Pier Gardens, in line with the concepts
adopted within the Cleethorpes Masterplan in 2022.

 

The funding of the temporary surface for the Armed Forces Weekend was
provided by the Armed Forces Team.

 

If you believe that your request for information has not been handled in
accordance with the Freedom of Information Act, you have the right to
request an internal review by the Council. If you wish to request an
internal review, please write to us detailing the reasons why. Please be
clear about which elements of the Council’s response or handling of the
request you are unhappy with and would like the Council to address during
the internal review process.  If following this, you are still
dissatisfied you may contact the Office of the Information Commissioner.

 

Yours sincerely

 

North East Lincolnshire Council

 

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