DD140 - Community micro-projects

The project above form part of OPDC's 'In the Making' initiative, incorporating OPDC workstreams which are delivering creative projects and activities benefiting local communities and creating a public life and a sense of place across Old Oak and Park Royal in the next one to five years.

The overarching objectives of the In the Making initiative are:

• delivering everyday improvements and opportunities with and for local people
• growing initiatives which will shape successful places
• celebrating and promoting what makes Old Oak and Park Royal special

The In the Making capital projects form part of the OPDC's wider Accelerated Delivery ambitions.

The micro projects all contribute to the wider In the Making capital projects and will act as 'phase 1' ahead of the longer-term improvements being delivered.

The proposals and how it will be delivered

Willesden Junction Station Public Realm: The wider project is funded by the Good Growth fund and includes; installation of planters and a new community noticeboard, decluttering of signage and street furniture, and creative graphic and wayfinding interventions. This decision seeks to approve grant funding to grassroots, local community organisations and delivery partners to deliver:

• Community banners: Designing with the local community banners and installation of the banners on Station Approach. This project will be delivered by Abundance Arts, a local community arts organisation (£5,000).
• Planting: Clearing ground and delivering new planting at Willesden Junction Station and maintenance: This project will be delivered by Energy Garden, a local volunteer-based gardening group (£5,500).

Cerebos Gardens co-design: Improvements to three green spaces along Victoria Road. Community design team meetings were held with the community last year to develop a concept design for the green spaces. The community group and OPDC are now seeking to gain capital funding to deliver the proposals. This decision seeks to approve grant funding of £2,500 to LB Ealing to deliver the first phase of improvements to kick-start the project. The work will include; pruning overgrown trees at Cerebos Gardens, planting of spring bulbs and planting of hedgerow whips to create a buffer from the busy Victoria Road, and a general clean and tidy of the spaces. The works will be delivered by LB Ealing's ground maintenance contractor.

Improvements to community noticeboards in Brent and Park Royal: Improvements to noticeboards in Harlesden. This will involve cleaning and repainting the noticeboards, co-design by the community. This decision seeks to approve expenditure and authority to grant £7,000 to LB Brent to deliver the improvements.

The expected outputs and outcomes include:

Above outputs and outcomes will be assessed and evaluated by the appointed evaluator who will be completing an impact assessment of all of the In the Making capital projects.

Strategic fit

The projects form part of OPDC's 'In the Making' initiative and support its overarching objectives (see above).

Through greening and planting, the project aligns with the below wider OPDC and GLA policies and strategic objectives:

• OPDC Local Plan policy: EU2 Urban Greening and Biodiversity
• GLA draft London Plan: Policy G1 Green Infrastructure, Policy G5 Urban Greening and Policy G6 Biodiversity and access to nature.

Through working with local communities and growing existing initiatives, this project will also support local communities and volunteering, aligning with the Mayor's Recovery Mission of 'Building strong communities'.

The Willesden Junction Station public realm works and improvements to noticeboards form part of a programme of projects led by both LB Brent and OPDC in and around Harlesden.

The public realm project is the first phase of improvements to Willesden Junction Station ahead of the wider, more longer term improvements to the Station, that are currently being scoped by Mott Macdonald for the Infrastructure Delivery Plan.

The Cerebos Gardens project is a first phase of improving green spaces in the Western Lands development area and testing models of community governance and co-design that can grow in the future.

Under Section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, as a public authority, OPDC must have 'due regard' to the need to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation.

There is a low risk of having adverse impacts on protected groups. The projects aim to engage with, benefit and empower those with protected characteristics.

Data will be collected to assess impacts on those with protected characteristics, through the In the Making capital projects impact evaluation.

In regard to the wider projects, a through accessibility statement for the Willesden Junction public realm project has been prepared as part of the RIBA Stage 3+ design report, assessing each area of the Station.

Project governance and assurance

The Principal Project Manager will manage the day to day of the micro-projects, including collaborating with, supporting where necessary, and monitoring all delivery partner activities, ensuring they coordinate with the wider projects they are a part of.

The programme of micro-projects and wider In the Making initiative is overseen by the Head of Design.

Grant agreements will be arranged and approved in line with OPDC governance rules and will be prepared and approved by the Chief Finance Officer and Head of Governance ahead of contracting. All grants will be paid upfront.

Risk and issues

Willesden Junction micro-projects:

• There is a risk the interventions are not managed and maintained well and result in poor outcomes. Both interventions are designed to be low maintenance and the banners include a two-year guarantee. Maintenance allowance is provided in the budget for Energy Garden, and the community group will be responsible for the ongoing management and maintenance.
• There is a risk both interventions are not approved by the station leaseholder, Arriva, or freeholder, Network Rail. Projects have already been discussed with both organisation and final approval will be undertaken through Network Rail's landlord's consent.

Cerebos Gardens planting

• There is a risk the planting is not maintained well, resulting in poor outcomes - all interventions have been designed to be low maintenance and some of the funding will go towards maintenance through LB Ealing's grounds maintenance contractor. The community that has participated in the project so far will also tend to the new planting, as well as colleagues from HS2 who have volunteered to support the project. After the establishment period the planting will be very low maintenance and will be under the Borough's responsibility to maintain as part of their regular management and maintenance arrangements of the space. It is also hoped that through this initial planting more community members begin to help maintain the space. Through the wider project, the team are exploring various community governance stewardship arrangements.

Other considerations

Consultants and impact assessments

As mentioned above, an evaluator is in the process of being procured who will undertake an impact assessment and evaluation of the project, in line with the outcomes and outputs that are specified under the GLA grant agreement.

Communications and engagement

Thorough engagement has been undertaken on Willesden Junction Station public realm project to ensure feedback from the community; including an in person initial event and survey in November 2019, an online event and survey in November 2020 and ongoing collaboration with a local community groups and volunteers; including Energy Garden and Abundance Arts, who has part of this decision will deliver some of the interventions. Any communications through the pre-election period will be carefully managed with the Head of Communications and Head of Governance. However key communications and engagement will be undertaken by the delivery partners.

The improvements to Cerebos Gardens and are part of the wider concept designs that were put together by the community group.

LB Brent will undertake community engagement regarding the improvement to community noticeboards.

Safeguarding

Where children are involved in activities led by the delivery partners, the relevant safeguarding policies will be noted in the grant agreement.

Data protection

The GDPR and data protection policies and procedures that OPDC require delivery partners to adhere to will be included in the grant agreement.

Conflicts of interest

No one involved in the preparation or clearance of this form, or its substantive proposal, has any conflict of interest.

The virement of £20,000 within the Delivery Budget from Phase 1A Outstanding to Design for these work streams.

Expenditure of £20,000 from the reallocated Design element in the FY 2020/21 delivery team budget.

The disbursing of funds entirely upfront (rather than in stages) removes a control mechanism that consequently risks under-delivery. It is important that the recipients are monitored effectively by OPDC to ensure adequate delivery of services and, hence, value for money, and that OPDC has the contractual right to recover funds not delivered.

Further expenditure and contract variations are subject to the Corporation's decision-making process.

Please ensure that any Procurement undertaken is in line with the Corporation's Procurement Guidance and that the Contracts and Funding Cod is adhered to.