Issue - meetings

Purpose of Report

To request authorisation to proceed to lease the land to the side of Tower Flats to Green Synergy for them to manage and maintain as a community garden in memory of Ellie Bradford who was a former member of staff in Directorate of Housing & Investment.

Decision

1.    That the granting of a lease for the land near Tower Flats to Green Synergy at nil cost or at a peppercorn rent level for a period of 25 years with a break clause included at 5 yearly intervals be approved.

2.    That a memorial plaque be placed on site as a heart-warming tribute to Ellie’s memory.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

None.

Reasons for the Decision

The land to the side of Tower Flats on Tower Crescent in Lincoln was owned by the Housing Revenue Account

Due to historical anti-social behaviour, this land (and other land in the vicinity) was fenced off to prevent fly tipping, vandalism and people gathering and causing a nuisance to the neighbours and residents in the community.

In 2013, Green Synergy approached the City of Lincoln Council along with Tower Action Group and requested use of the land to create a community garden for public use in the city. Green Synergy had continued to maintain the land since 2013 under an informal agreement made with Tenancy Services.

Green Synergy had a vision for the garden to secure a formal lease for the land to enable them to bid for available funding to encourage community participation in looking after the garden, develop the planting and increase the biodiversity in the garden. Green Synergy would also like to use the garden for pop up events for the local community including young children’s activities, teddy bear picnics, family picnics, birdbox making workshops, arts and craft activity sessions, coffee and chat sessions, planting sessions, harvesting sessions and to give the fruit from the garden.

The charity also sought to support sustainability by developing compost bays on the garden and maintaining a beautiful community green space which it was hoped would contribute to the Lincoln Climate Commission challenges by increasing the native species on the garden to increase its biodiversity.

The garden was named in memoriam of Ellie Bradford who was a member of council staff in the Housing department and died whilst still in service. Ellie was a Housing Officer and Area Housing Manager.