FOI request (FOIR-456846290)

Cattle grazing - Country Park

Requested Thu 06 October 2022
Responded Tue 18 October 2022

1. Please provide a copy of HBC's application for this year's Green Flag Award in relation to Hastings Country Park. If it refers back to previous submissions, please provide those also.

2. One of the fences across the accessible paths also runs through the middle of the meadow. There has never been a fence there before (I am not aware of any consultation about this either). Which organisations did you get planning permission from? Please provide copies of your applications.

3. Regulations state that the minimum gateway width for fire service vehicles is 3.1m, the widest gateway on the Firehills is now 2.9m. I understand that in certain circumstances the minimum width can be reduced to 2.75m. Please provide a copy of the regulations followed and of any agreement with the fire service.

4. Have there been any surveys or estimates of visitor numbers to the Firehills since 2006? If so, please provide the relevant documentation.

5. When have risk assessments been carried out regarding placing the cattle on the Firehills? Please provide copies.

Response

1. Information not held - Green Flag applications are completed annually on-line. No records of applications are kept.

2. Information not held - Planning permission is not required.

3. Information not held - The gates are standard sizes. The openings have been constructed to hang the standard width gates. In light of increasing dry summers, the council has contacted the Fire Service with a view to developing a fire safety assessment for the nature reserve. The assessment Fire Service has not undertaken the assessment to date.

4. Information not held - No visitor data is held on numbers of people accessing the Firehills.

5. Information not held - A full risk assessment is being undertaken in conjunction with the council's Health and Safety Advisor and will be completed prior to cattle grazing the Firehills.