Consultation on the Commons Levy

Wimbledon Common and Putney Lower Common (together known as the ‘Commons’) are owned by a local, independent charity, Wimbledon and Putney Commons Conservators (WPCC), also known as the Conservators. The organisation was set up by an Act of Parliament (the ‘Wimbledon and Putney Commons Act 1871’ or the ‘1871 Act’) in response to a movement led by local residents to transfer the land from Earl Spencer to the Conservators.

Under the 1871 Act, governance is provided by eight Conservators, who also serve as trustees of the charity. Five of the Conservators are elected every three years by those who live in the levy-paying area and the remaining three Conservators are appointed by three government departments: the Home Office, the Ministry of Defence and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).

The day-to-day management of the Commons is carried out by a dedicated staff team under the leadership of the chief executive who collectively maintain, protect and safeguard the Commons for the benefit of the public.

Unlike most other commons in London, Wimbledon and Putney Commons are independently owned and are funded by a levy paid by those who ‘primarily benefit’ from the Commons as described in the 1871 Act, being all those living within three-quarters of a mile of Wimbledon Common or in the Parish of Putney, as it existed in 1871. The levy currently raises about two-thirds of WPCC’s total income each year. Additional revenue is raised from the use of sports facilities by schools and local sports clubs, donations and grants, filming, small events and commercial licences, rental income from buildings and investment income.

As mentioned above, WPCC is an independent charity and is not part of local or national government. Wimbledon and Putney Commons are somewhat unique in Greater London in being independently owned as most other commons such as Clapham Common and Mitcham Common are owned and funded by local authorities.

Wimbledon and Putney Commons are unique in offering 1,140 acres of relative wilderness in the heart of a dense urban environment. The diversity of landscape and ecology distinguishes the land amongst open spaces in London. The varied, unspoilt landscape of the Commons provides a mosaic of woodland, heathland, grassland, lakes, ponds, streams and bogs, and their habitats are home to a diversity of wildlife.

The rarity of certain habitats – particularly the ancient heathland – means that around 80% of the Commons were designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in 1953, making the Commons one of the UK’s most important and protected landscapes. In 2005, large parts were also made a Special Area of Conservation (SAC), in recognition of their internationally important habitats and species. As a result, the charity that manages the Commons has a duty to protect, conserve and restore the unique mixture of woodland, heathland, grassland and wetland habitats. We want to ensure they continue to thrive for the benefit of current and future generations.

The current condition of the SSSI has been assessed by Natural England, an executive non-departmental public body sponsored by DEFRA, as ‘unfavourable recovering’. Often known simply as 'recovering', this means that the SSSI units within this classification are not yet fully conserved but all the necessary management measures are in place. Provided that the recovery work is sustained, the SSSI should be classified as ‘favourable’ condition in time.

The natural environment is very fragile and this vulnerability has been exposed by the increased demands placed on the Commons, particularly during the pandemic. Climate change will worsen the situation unless action is taken. Without effective management, the diverse habitats that make the Commons so special could be lost. Conservation management activities can require careful planning, specialist equipment, machinery, training and labour.

WPCC’s power to issue a levy is contained in legislation made in 1990. Since 1990, London has seen an increase in population of almost 30% resulting in greater usage of the Commons with an associated increase in maintenance costs. We have increased the levy in line with inflation since 1990, however, given the significant increase in population, this is no longer sufficient to cover our costs. The way in which we have to work has materially changed since 1990 with added responsibilities for health and safety, tree and building safety, data protection and charity management, all contributing to increased costs.

The lack of funds means we cannot properly maintain the buildings, paths, car parks or fully conserve the SSSI habitats. The playing fields, which are an important source of revenue, are at capacity and the sports pavilion is desperately in need of investment. We cannot fund these improvements from our existing budget. We are also having to use our reserves to fund our current operations, which is not sustainable.

Since Covid, the community has come to depend more and more on local open spaces. This is welcomed but has resulted in, for example, more wear and tear on the infrastructure, greater management issues and more litter to manage. For example, last year alone, we had to spend approximately £60,000 on waste clearance, which is almost three times as much as pre Covid.

In addition, we are expecting climate change and further population growth to cause additional challenges for the SSSI and for maintaining the Commons. We are limited in what we can currently do to prepare for this.

We are consulting on a proposed increase of approximately £375,000 in order to address funding requirements in three broad areas:

1.     Stage I Masterplan – Since 2019, we have been developing a Masterplan to provide a planning framework for the long-term investment requirements of the Commons. We held a consultation on the draft Stage I of the Masterplan in the autumn of 2022, which identified investment requirements in the natural environment, paths, signage and bike racks. The proposals were widely supported with particular interest in the proposed projects for the wetlands and ponds. Although most of the one-off costs associated with these projects will need to be funded by external grants and donations, the ongoing operating costs of these projects will have to be met by WPCC’s operating budget. We estimate that the annual costs of Stage I of the Masterplan will be nearly £120,000 per year. (For further details on the Masterplan, please see www.wpcc.org.uk/masterplan-consultation.)

2.    Budget Deficit – WPCC has approved a budget deficit for each of the past three years, which the Conservators have recognised is not sustainable. Although the actual outturn that has been achieved has represented an improvement over the agreed budget, for planning purposes and in consideration of non-recurring costs and other support costs, the additional funding necessary to achieve a balanced budget in the years ahead is estimated to be approximately £170,000 per year. Achieving a balanced budget is also important given Charity Commission guidance to hold reserves sufficient to meet unanticipated expenditure, which are not insignificant given the age and nature of the assets for which WPCC is responsible (including a grade II* listed windmill), as well as the fact that WPCC’s statutory limit on borrowing is only £5,000.

3.    Deferred Works – Given the current budget position, a number of projects have been deferred including repairs to buildings and works to the natural environment, which are estimated to total approximately £60,000 per year.

The above components, which are based on 2022 estimates with inflation applied, total £350,000, which we feel is the minimum necessary to meet the current gap in funding. In order to provide a contingency, an increase in the levy of approximately £375,000 is proposed for consultation purposes.

The Conservators have a legal duty to preserve and protect the Commons. This includes (for example) protecting the landscape and their nationally important habitats; these habitats have suffered losses over the decades and this needs to be addressed, particularly in the face of climate change. Conservators also have a duty to make the Commons available for recreation and exercise and this includes ensuring the footpaths, cycle routes and horse rides are properly maintained in a condition which is safe and usable by all. Informing visitors about the importance of the natural environment through signage will help to ensure that they value the Commons.

There are eight Council Tax Bands, ranging from A through H, depending on the value of your property.

Table A below sets out the approximate proposed annual increase for each Council Tax Band.

To find out the band of your property, go to:  https://www.gov.uk/council-tax-bands or alternatively ring the Valuation Office Agency on 03000 501 501 Monday to Friday, 9 am to 4:30 pm.

All exemptions and benefits to which residents are entitled for Council Tax purposes also apply to the levy. If you are not liable to pay council tax then you will not be affected by the proposed increase as you do not pay the Commons’ Levy.

The Conservators identified the need to review the levy as part of their 2017 strategic review. Following the Conservators’ elections in March 2018, the Conservators established a working group to examine the case for amending the levy. Following 18 months of exploratory work, the Conservators announced at their Open Meeting in December 2019 that they were considering a potential increase in the levy and set out a phased approach to examining a potential increase. (Please see https://www.wpcc.org.uk/governance/potential-changes-to-wimbledon-and-putney-commons-constitution.)

Following further analysis and consultation with key stakeholders, an informal consultation on the principle of increasing the levy was undertaken in autumn 2022 utilising both physical and digital channels. Feedback from the consultation was strongly supportive of an increase in the levy. (Please see https://www.wpcc.org.uk/about-us/masterplan-consultation.) Although the consultation was primarily designed to test support in principle for increasing the levy, an increase of £8.04 per year (for a Band D property) was put forward for consultation purposes. The current proposal of £9.05 per year is based on this figure of £8.04 per year, with inflation for the year 2023/24 applied.

We recognise that there is never a good time to propose an increase in the levy and the current economic situation makes this particularly true. Equally we recognise the importance of properly maintaining the Commons and this is also more pertinent now than ever. Since 1990 in particular, usage of the Commons has increased both due to the increase in population in London and an increased recognition of the importance of spending time in open space for peoples’ mental and physical health.

The growing financial pressure on households also means that people will increasingly depend on activities that are affordable (or free), so use of the Commons is likely to increase even further. It is therefore more important than ever that the Commons are properly maintained so that they continue to meet the needs of the community.

The maximum permitted level of the levy increases each year as a result of the change in inflation (measured using the Retail Prices Index (RPI)) but unfortunately our costs also rise when inflation increases. Therefore, any extra income we receive through an inflationary increase is likely to be consumed by extra costs.

It should also be noted that the Conservators set the levy each year and may set it at a level below the maximum permitted. In setting the levy, the Conservators must give regard to their duties under the 1871 Act to protect and preserve the Commons and ensure that the Commons are available for recreation and exercise. The Conservators must also meet their duties under charity law to protect the assets of the charity and to always act in the best interests of the charity.

In the longer term, WPCC may wish to explore whether the levy area could be expanded to encompass more properties, however it is anticipated that this would be a lengthy and complex process.

For those households that are not currently in the levy-paying area, there are other opportunities to contribute to the upkeep of the Commons including membership of the Wimbledon and Putney Commons Friends and contributions to the voluntary parking payment scheme.

WPCC manages the charity’s finances carefully, working to both increase income and reduce costs. Non-urgent expenditure has been delayed and restraint is exercised with all essential purchases. To increase income, we aim to ensure that all agreements with commercial users of the Commons, such as sporting events, fairs and licences are priced at market value. In addition, we have also employed a fundraiser to help secure grants and donations.

We have considered increased commercialisation such as concerts, open air theatre and festivals, but believe this would not be appropriate for the Commons and visitor feedback indicates this would not be welcomed. We are often asked why we do not charge for car parking. The 1871 Act does not give us an express power to charge for car parking.

The Conservators are looking at making amendments to the 1871 Act and have agreed that the power to charge would be considered for inclusion as part of that process in order to potentially enable Conservators in the future to implement a charge if they decided to do so.

The Conservators have also considered amending the levy boundary but to do so would be a complex and lengthy process. The Conservators’ understanding is that it would require primary legislation which is a drawn out procedure that is expensive and risky as it could fail anywhere in the process. However, it remains a longer term initiative for the Conservators.

There are other ways that those who lived outside the levy-paying area are able to contribute, such as by joining the Friends of Wimbledon and Putney Commons or by making a donation through the voluntary donation scheme in the car park; income from that at present was around £6,00 to 8,000 per annum.

Once the consultation period has closed, Wimbledon and Putney Commons Conservators will consider the responses received and publish a summary on our website.

WPCC's total income for 2022/23 was £2,173, 813.

Yes it is.

The current Levy paid by each Council Tax Band per year is as follows:

The aggregate maximum amount (from all households in the levy-paying area) that WPCC can set through the levy each year was fixed in 1990 at £500,000.  There was however an annual inflationary index applied to this maximum amount so that the maximum amount that WPCC may collect in a given year has increased over the 33 years since 1990 and is now £1.5 million (for the year 2023/24).

The number of households in the levy-paying area does not impact this aggregate amount.  If there was no inflation in a year but there was an increase in the number of households paying the levy, the amount per household would actually decrease.

In answer to the question therefore, whilst the number of households in the levy-paying area has increased, this in itself has not led to the income from the levy increasing.

We want to maximise expenditure on operations and the long-term investment in the Commons.  We also fully accept our responsibility for ensuring that levy-payers’ money is spent in the most cost effective and efficient way.

We are a small organisation with 26 employees (two of whom are part-time) and the way in which we are organised and work together minimises our overheads, which (in our view) are low, in part because of the reasons set out below.

•             We have three operational teams (mounted keepers, maintenance team and groundsmen) and the team leaders for all three teams are fully engaged in operational activities (i.e., they are not office-based managers).

•             The majority of our fourth team (office-based staff) also have customer facing/service delivery roles (e.g., the conservation and engagement officer, whose salary is currently allocated to the administrative budget, is responsible for developing the land management strategy and also works alongside volunteers to carry out habitat restoration projects).

•             We do not outsource any of our day-to-day operational responsibilities (hence there is no need for complex contracts); the staff are flexible, long-serving, enormously dedicated and very supportive of the organisation.

•             We use contractors only to provide specialised services (e.g., professional services, specialist tree work, boiler replacement).

•             Unlike the local authorities, which have an enormously diverse range of responsibilities, WPCC’s only responsibility is to maintain, protect and care for a very important open space and all members of our staff team are focussed on that duty.

In a small organisation such as WPCC, ‘engagement, governance and administrative’ costs (which for the purposes of the consultation document include communications, fundraising, events, governance, legal fees, insurance, processing of licence fees, permits and stakeholder engagement) can be quite variable one year to the next in part because of the occurrence of one-off initiatives and events.  That said, looking at the data over the past five years, ‘administrative’ costs have grown above the rate of inflation (as have almost all of our costs) due to the increased usage of the Commons and additional expenditure in areas such as safety, data protection and charity management.  It is also important to note that the costs of the fundraiser (who joined in January 2022) are included in the ‘administrative’ budget, but the grants/income raised through fundraising are accounted for elsewhere.

For the reasons stated in the above answer, there is also significant variability in the share of ‘administrative’ costs as a percentage of total costs when comparing one year to the next.  The share of ‘administrative’ costs as a proportion of total costs over the past five years (2019 to 2023) averaged 25% but ranged from 16% to 30%.  (As stated in our consultation document, in 2022/23 ‘administrative’ costs represented 23% of total expenditure.)

As mentioned in the consultation document, any rebasing of the levy that is implemented would be used to (i) support delivery of the Masterplan (which focuses on the investment in the natural environment, signage and bike racks);  (ii) balance our operating budget; and (iii) address the outstanding maintenance requirements in the properties and the natural environment.  There are no specific plans to increase our ‘administrative’ costs apart from a small increase in support for the delivery of the Masterplan (e.g., to secure external grants) if the levy were increased.  As per our earlier comments, there may also be further opportunities to improve efficiencies, which may require additional investment but would hopefully reduce our costs in the medium to long-term.

Thank you for your enquiry regarding salary and security costs. 

Breakdown of Keepers and Commons’ Security Costs

Staffing - £484,506 – this includes six full-time mounted keepers, one full-time maintenance/security ranger based at Putney Lower Common and a percentage of office-based staff costs for support including administration costs for our duty officer role, out of hours and additional security back up support.

Horse Costs - £28,284 – this includes vet services, shoeing, feed and bedding.

Sundry Costs - £11,433 – this includes, telephones, radios, utilities gas/electricity, tuition, and insurance.

Use of Horses to Patrol

You also asked if we had considered whether the horses might be replaced by mechanical transport for the patrolling Keepers and if they were cost-efficient.

We have considered replacing the horses with mechanical forms of the transport.  Horses are so much more efficient in moving through thick cover that vehicles cannot get into; the keepers and horses offer a visible reassurance to members of the public in the more remote locations on the Commons and the keepers are able to see to much more from horseback.  Not only that, but we also have a history of having mounted keepers patrolling the Commons and they are part of our social history and are valued by members of the public both old and young.

We believe that the patrol horses are cost efficient, better for the environment and promote a sense of safety.

Staffing Levels and Costs

You also asked about the increase in staff levels (and asked if some of these were part-time) and asked about the increase in salary costs from £1,385,688 in 2022 to £1,505,360 in 2023, which you felt raised questions that levy-payers would need to understand.

The figures you have quoted from our accounts include additional pension costs that do not of themselves result in a cash outflow for the charity, as explained in the accounts.  The increase is staff costs reflects the changes in staffing levels.

As stated in our accounts for the year ending 31 March 2023, the average number of persons employed in full and part-time positions by the Charity during the year was 26.

The changes from the previous year are set out below (and are also stated in our accounts).

Administration – One part-time officer assistant

Maintenance - One full-time litter picker and an additional member for the maintenance team

Fundraising – One full-time fundraising manager

We have budgeted £53,000 for the full consultation exercise excluding the meeting rooms costs for all four meetings, which are estimated at £1,000.  A number of items in the budget will not be finalised until after the consultation has been completed such as processing postal responses and this cost depends on how many responses are received by post or online.

The 2022 informal consultation cost £9,520 but this included both the Masterplan (Stage I) and the levy.

Under charity law, WPCC has a duty to ensure that those using the Commons for commercial purposes make either a cash contribution or a contribution in kind towards our charitable objectives to achieve best possible terms.  We therefore have arrangements in place with organisations to reflect this duty.

In terms of commercial dog walkers, our priority has been on reducing the number of dogs that could be walked together to reflect professional guidance.  WPCC has therefore recently reviewed the policy on the number of dogs that can be walked together and this has now been reduced to four for anyone walking dogs on the Commons.

The Board has also agreed to explore ways in which individuals using the Commons for commercial purposes contribute to WPCC’s charitable objectives either through payment of a licence fee or a contribution in kind.

No.  The Plain is area of conservation and carefully managed under agreement with Natural England as the largest acid grassland site on the Commons.  Acid grassland is considered a nationally important habitat and, in Britain, there are less than 30,000 hectares of lowland acid grassland remaining.  As a UK Biodiversity Action Plan habitat, it is a top priority for wildlife conservation nationally.  It is one of the reasons that the Commons holds a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) designation.

Acid grassland provides a vital habitat for ground-nesting birds. Here on the Commons we have in recent years had Skylarks and Meadow Pipits.  Ground nesting birds are in serious decline across the UK and we are working to ensure the habitat can support these species again in the future.  It also serves as an important stopping point for autumn migrants as they prepare for their long flights to their winter habitats as well as providing a continuity of food and cover throughout the year for birds, small mammals and invertebrates. 

From a total area of 1140 acres, Putney Lower Common (PLC) covers a comparatively small area of approximately 50 acres.

This said, a great deal of work is involved in looking after this part of the Commons and this has recently been recognised in the 2023 London in Bloom Awards where PLC achieved a gold award

Part of the interest of PLC is that it is comprised of a mixture of natural habitats as well as amenity areas such as the cricket pitch and areas that are used for sport and recreation by the schools and the local community.

General management of PLC involves the presence on most days of the week by one full time member of the Commons team. This member of staff carries out the following tasks:

·         Litter picking and the emptying of rubbish bin and dog waste bins

·         Mowing of paths throughout the summer

·         Cutting hedges

·         Watering trees

·         Upholding of WPCC bye laws

In addition to the general duties that are carried out on PLC throughout the year, over recent years, the following tasks have also been carried out to enhance the ecological and amenity value of the Common.

·         Cut and collect work to enhance areas of meadow on the Common. These areas currently include the Main Field, the area between Lower Richmond Road and Queens Ride and the area surround the Oasis Academy

·         Native wildflower bulbs have been planted in woodland and grassland areas of PLC These have included English bluebells, fox gloves, primrose, yellow rattle and snowdrops

·         Management of Japanese knotweed

·         Management of Oak processionary moth

·         Management of Himalayan balsam

·         Management of tree of heaven

·         Tree safety operations

·         Planting of a community orchard (3 x pear, 3x cherry and 6 x apple)

·         Creation of a woodland glade to help with the recovery of an area of woodland that was heavily trampled

·         Re-building of a foot bridge

·         Woodland thinning and re-planting of a large number of trees along the edge of the Main Field to provide a screen between the main common and the Oasis Academy

·         Planting of a small number of trees including Field maple and rowan

·         Involvement with the ZSL hedgehog monitoring programme

If resources allow, over the next few year, we would like to carry out the following work:

·         Full removal of Ailanthus (Tree of Heaven) which is currently found in three locations

·         Eradication of all Japanese knotweed along the Beverley Brook

·         Extend the orchard (perhaps during autumn 2024)

·         Plant further wildflower bulbs and seeds on the Common

·         Replace existing wooden bird boxes with new boxes

·         Improve education value of the Rangers enclosure 

·         Bespoke notice board with information about the area, wildlife, events, byelaws and charity details

·         Provision of temporary fencing along the edge of the foot bridge to prevent future bank erosion

As well as sending the consultation documents to all levy-paying households, key stakeholders have also been invited to submit a letter of representation to give their views.  The key stakeholders include the three local MPs in whose constituencies the Commons sit, along with the three local authorities and the two civic societies (the Wimbledon Society and the Putney Society).  Since 1990, the local authorities have acted as billing authorities and have therefore collected the levy on behalf of WPCC;  as such they have been considered as key stakeholders.

More information on documents mentioned in the Consultation Document, along with information on the governance can be found in the folowing links:

Annual report and accounts

Masterplan

More information about governance, the charity and byelaws

In 1866, the Metropolitan Commons Act came into being which transferred public open spaces into public ownership which meant that most of the Commons in London came under local authority control.  Rather than having locally elected Conservators, they would be appointed by local authorities and funded by grants from them.  These Commons therefore have more of a direct connection with the local authorities and the Mayor’s office than Wimbledon and Putney Commons.  Wimbledon and Putney Commons did not come under this Act as the land was, at that time, owned by Lord Spencer, and was only brought into public use by the establishment of its own Act of Parliament, dated 1871, which sets out how the Commons are owned and how they are to be managed for the benefit of the public, including how they were to be funded. 

However, as a registered charity, WPCC is eligible to apply for grants and were successful this year with a grant of £14,290 from the Mayor of London’s Rewild London Fund towards the first stage of restoring Queensmere. Unfortunately, our application to the Green and Resilient Spaces Fund was unsuccessful, with feedback stating that whilst they agreed with our aims they were prioritising other locations in areas of much higher need in terms of green space. The fund was heavily oversubscribed.

These grant programmes provide project funding and we plan to continue applying for grants to fund some of the proposed Masterplan projects. When successful, WPCC will need to provide matched funds which can range between 10% to 20% of the project cost and this is where the additional funding raised through the levy would support their delivery.

Whereas the income from the levy provides funds for general purposes grants usually only provide restricted funds for specific purposes. Success is unpredictable and there is the requirement to meet specific grant criteria which may not be applicable to the project you are seeking funding for.

The income from the levy provides general funds to spend where it is needed most and as we can forecast this income each year we can budget and plan expenditure ahead. However calls for applications for the Mayor of London’s environmental funding programmes has been unpredictable (we cannot be certain that a funding programme will go ahead each year, or when the applications open). Grant funders also have strict conditions on when grant payments will be made and must be spent by. This can make it difficult to plan ahead, especially when project delivery is seasonally restricted (especially relevant for habitat conservation) and may not fit with the grant funders timeline.

This is a consultation in which we are seeking the views of the households in the levy-paying area on our proposal.   It is not a referendum.

We have also invited the key stakeholders, which include the MPs for Putney, Richmond Park and Wimbledon; the local authorities in Kingston, Merton and Wandsworth; and the Putney Society and the Wimbledon Society to submit representations. 

The maximum permitted level of the levy is set out in regulations, which are the responsibility of the Secretary of State for DEFRA.  If, after the consultation exercise, WPCC decides to pursue an increase in the levy (in line with the existing proposal or otherwise) WPCC will discuss the proposal with the Department to explore next steps.

The Conservators considered that the financial impact of the proposed increase in the levy on levy-payers was better expressed in absolute amounts of pounds and pence rather than a percentage. 

In terms of affordability, it is the absolute amount that is relevant rather than the percentage increase.  If you consider the way in which inflation indices (such as CPI or RPI) are calculated, the amount that each good or service increases in price is weighted by the amount that each good or service represents of a household’s total expenditure.  This is because it is the absolute amount of an increase (rather than the percentage increase) that is relevant in terms of understanding the impact of such price increases on a household.

The Commons were founded when local residents campaigned against the then land owner, Earl Spencer, and his proposals to sell off part of the common land to fund the fencing off of the remaining area and to build a manor house.  They formed a Committee and passed a resolution that they would make contributions to ensure that the land remained open to the public.  When their campaign was successful, the body of the Conservators was formed by means of the Wimbledon and Putney Commons Act of 1871 to maintain the Commons for the “purposes of exercise and recreation” and the method of contribution was incorporated into the Act to fund the ongoing upkeep.

Civica, who are handling the consultation on WPCC's behalf, will be carrying out both a Quantitative Analysis and a Qualitative Analysis on the individual responses – an explanation of both is:

Quantitative Analysis

Using a univariate approach, the quantitative analysis will include response rates to the question and the breakdown by online/postal. The key objective of this analysis is to simply describe the data using numbers and percentages.

Qualitative Analysis

Using an inductive approach, the qualitative analysis will include content and thematic analysis. Thematic analysis is a method for analysing qualitative data that entails searching across a data set to identify, analyse, and report repeated patterns. (A theme is a ‘patterned response or meaning’). It is a method for describing data, but it also involves interpretation in the processes of selecting codes and constructing themes. This method is used when seeking to understand a set of experiences, thoughts, or behaviours across a data set.

For example, do the golf clubs contribute? 

The golf course was in existence before the Commons came into being in 1871 so the clubs have a right to be on the Commons. The playing of golf is regulated through the byelaws rather than through a licencing arrangement. The clubs are not charged rent for the golf course but both clubs make voluntary contributions and maintain the course; these arrangements have been in place since the early 20th century. The London Scottish Golf Club also pays commercial rent to WPCC for the clubhouse. Both clubs are finding the current economic situation challenging.

The Tea Rooms also pay a market value rent.

Planting trees is restricted on the SSSI, which includes the Rushmere area, and the woodlands are not suitable for further planting just yet. The Fundraising Manager manages a bench donation scheme but again, places are limited, as we don’t want the Commons to be over-populated with benches.

The signage has recently been renewed in the car park and signs have been placed at the donation machine and around the car park. It is also proposed to put a new banner at the car park entrance.