Garden Committee

Responsibility for the garden rests with the Garden Committee That is every person who has a right to use a garden within a square and who is liable to pay council tax.

The garden committee has the power to appoint a sub-committee or committee. The sub-committee or committee is responsible to the garden committee for the day to day management of the garden.

The principle duties of the garden sub-committee or committee are as follows:

1. To maintain the garden and everything in it.
2. To hold regular meetings of the sub-committee.
3. To make byelaws for the proper regulation of the garden.
4. To set a budget for the expenditure on maintenance of the garden and to get that budget approved by a full meeting of the garden committee (usually at an Annual General Meeting).
5. To account for funds received from the Royal Borough and to ensure they are properly spent on the maintenance (and in the case of the 1863 Act also the management) of the garden.
6. To regulate access to the garden and the issuing of keys to residents and others entitled to use the garden.
7. To ensure that the garden and everything in it complies with relevant health and safety law and guidelines.
8. To take out public liability insurance to protect themselves against claims brought by users of the garden (this is not a statutory duty but practical advice).
9. To ensure regular inspections of trees and any other items in the garden likely to cause damage to users of the garden or properties surrounding the garden (again this is not a statutory duty but an annual inspection by a qualified arboriculturalist is recommended)
10. To preserve the physical integrity of the garden and protect it from encroachment and unauthorised use. (This is not a specific statutory requirement but is implied to the committee members in their fiduciary capacity under the statutes).