Agenda item
Transfer of Greenspace Functions from Medway Norse
Minutes:
Background:
This report sought Cabinet approval for the transfer of a range of greenspace functions currently operated by Medway Norse, as part of the joint venture agreement, to Medway Council, with effect from 1 April 2026. There would be a consequential reduction in annual payment to Medway Norse. This would be allocated to the sport, greenspaces and climate response service to operate these functions.
The report set out that the joint venture between Medway Council and Medway Norse began operating in 2013. Over the following years, a range of greenspace services and associated staff had been transferred into the joint venture. Since 2017 it had also included the client management function. This made Medway Norse both the organisation responsible for delivering the programme of works, and the organisation with management responsibility for ensuring the delivery of the works was in accordance with Medway Council requirements.
This approach had given Medway Council less clarity in understanding how the budget was being spent, how works were being prioritised, and how standards were being maintained.
|
Decision number: |
Decision:
|
|
187/2025 |
The Cabinet agreed to transfer the greenspaces client management function to Medway Council, reducing the 2026-27 payment to Medway Norse, with the attributed budget to be used by the Sport, Greenspaces and Climate Response service to fund in-house client management function. |
|
188/2025 |
The Cabinet agreed to transfer the urban ranger function to Medway Council, including TUPE of relevant staff, and remove the discrete funding paid to Medway Norse for the operation of this function, with the attributed budget to be used by the Sport, Greenspaces and Climate Response service to fund in-house urban ranger function. |
|
189/2025 |
The Cabinet agreed to transfer the operation of Medway’s country parks, including TUPE of relevant staff, and remove the discrete funding paid to Medway Norse for this function, with the attributed budget to be used by the Sport, Greenspaces and Climate Response service to fund in-house country parks function. (This did not include the operation of the cafes at Capstone and Riverside Country Parks which formed part of a separate lease agreement). |
|
190/2025 |
The Cabinet agreed to transfer the allotments function to Medway Council, including TUPE of relevant staff, and remove the discrete budget paid to Medway Norse for this function, with the attributed budget to be used by the Sport, Greenspaces and Climate Response service to fund in-house allotments function. |
|
191/2025 |
The Cabinet agreed to transfer the trees function to Medway Council, including TUPE of relevant staff, and reduce the 2026-27 funding payment to Medway Norse, with the attributed budget to be used by the Sport, Greenspaces and Climate Response service to fund in-house trees team function. |
Reasons:
Transferring the client management function to the Council will give greater oversight of the greenspaces work remaining in the joint venture, improving accountability and responsibility and enabling improved financial monitoring.
Transferring the country parks, urban rangers, allotments and trees teams to Medway Council will improve operational effectiveness, ensuring increased priority and greater responsiveness is given to the needs of residents.
Supporting documents:
PDF 141 KB