Report to be circulated to pre-meet after IAM meeting Monday morning.

The Chair drew attention to exempt Appendix III which was tabled for Members.  As Members did not discuss the paper it was not necessary to go into private session.

The Interim Property Services Manager introduced the report and read out the recommendations as set-out in the agenda papers. 

The Chair invited Members to ask questions.

A visiting Ward member asked members to consider proposing the following to the Policy and Resources Committee:  That all money from the sale of the New Road Community Centre plot be ring-fenced to repair or replace the roof at Thistle Hill Community Centre to enable Minster to continue to have an operational community centre. 

The Head of Regeneration, Economic Development and Property and Interim Head of Planning noted that it was correct that the Regeneration and Property Committee could only recommend use of the funds to the Policy and Resources Committee, and it was not within the Committee’s gift to allocate funding itself.  She said the cost of the repairs to Thistle Hill Community Centre was not known and therefore ringfencing all the costs from the disposal of Minster Community Centre might not be appropriate. 

Further points raised included:

·         Considered it “strange” that the portacabin was deemed fit in 2020 but unfit now following the condition survey;

·         thought the costs to repair the portacabin as outlined in the report were high and the Council should consider whether a company wanted to take it over completely as a going concern first;

·         aware of other assets the Council had which had been transferred over with similar repair issues leaving the leaseholder and the Council in a difficult position;

·         did not consider it was right for the Committee to propose ring-fencing receipt and it was a Policy and Resources Committee decision not for this Committee; and

·         rather than ring-fencing the money could the Council, once the portacabin had been sold, look at whether some of the money could be used for the Thistle Hill repairs before reallocating the money?

In response the Interim Property Services Manager confirmed that the portacabin was erected in 1997 making it approximately 30 years old.  The valuations for the repairs were carried out externally and he had no reason to contradict their valuation.  He said that a qualified Building Control surveyors assessment said the property was life-expired.  The Interim Property Services Manager said that with regard to the Council letting it out as a going concern there would be a risk to the Council’s reputation renting out a property that could not be guaranteed for the period of the lease. 

The Interim Property Services Manager explained that the Council were the freeholders of Thistle Hill Community Centre, which was leased to the community group, on a long fully insuring repairing lease so it was not in Council ownership. 

Resolved:

(1)      That the land between 53-59 New Road, Minster be declared surplus and placed on the open market to effect a freehold disposal.

(2)      That delegated authority be given to the Head of Regeneration, Economic Development and Property and Interim Head of Planning in consultation with the Head of Mid-Kent Legal Services to negotiate a freehold sale of the property and to complete the necessary legal formalities.