The Alexandra Palace and Park Consultative Committee met on Thursday, 25 January 2024, and adopted a new charter for the committee. The meeting also included updates on various activities at Alexandra Palace and Park, including building repairs, community use initiatives, and visitor feedback.

CEO's General Update Report

The Chief Executive, Emma Dagnes, presented a comprehensive update on activities across Alexandra Palace and Park. Key points included the appointment of ROOFF Limited as the main contractor for the North East Office Building repairs, with works scheduled to run until May 2024. Discussions are ongoing to address a funding gap for the reactivation of the Campsbourne Building for community use. The committee was also informed about the People's Picture (150 Lifetimes) project, which aims to culminate in a large mural in the East Court and the replacement of interpretation boards. An online visitor survey has been launched to gather feedback on the northern area of the park, including the skatepark, playground, and Boating Lake, to support future improvement projects and funding applications. The Café Restaurant has been brought in-house and is being managed by the Alexandra Palace and Park Trust (APP) with a limited budget.

Mark Evison, Head of Park and Environmental Sustainability, provided an overview of his section, highlighting updates on rubbish collection, volunteer activities, traffic improvements, and memorial benches. He noted that approximately 6,000 visitors attended the park on New Year's Eve, requiring a significant cleanup effort. Rubbish collection figures are nearing pre-pandemic levels, and corporate volunteers have contributed to work in the park's woods.

During the discussion, it was noted that plans for a themed East Court Café would be pursued when funding permits. The possibility of a BBC documentary on Alexandra Palace was discussed, with the Trust having a strategic partnership with the BBC, but the commissioning of a programme would be a BBC decision. The Trust is currently communicating with the BBC about celebrating 90 years of television. Members expressed pleasure at the wider borough engagement in creative learning activities and looked forward to the Macbeth performance audience visiting the basements. Details on road closures for events would be shared publicly and with the relevant committees once finalised. The table of events previously included in reports would be replaced with a web link. The committee resolved to note the report.

Fabric Maintenance Plan

Iain McDonald, Head of Property & Facilities, introduced the report on fabric maintenance and repairs. The report detailed progress made in 2022/23 and 2023/24, including scheduled work yet to be conducted, and outlined priorities for the upcoming year. Following the presentation, the committee resolved to note the report.

Charter, Workshop Actions & Follow-Up

John Chilton, Chair, introduced the Consultative Committee Charter and Action Plan, which outlines expectations for committee members, the Chair, Trust staff, and Council officers. Councillor Emine Ibrahim seconded the motion. The committee resolved to adopt the attached Charter.