Agenda item
Property Spotlight
To receive a presentation.
Minutes:
Aman Dalvi, Corporate Director, Development & Renewal gave a presentation outlining progress on the action plan in regard to the property directions. Following this Ann Sutcliffe, Service Head Corporate Property and Capital Delivery, gave a presentation on progress on the Civic Centre project. The following matters were reported:
· Community buildings
o Arrangements around the use of community buildings had been regularised in accordance with the report made to Cabinet on 1 December 2016.
o An implementation plan had been drawn up and agreed by Commissioners
o Community Hubs would operate under a licence arrangement
· Asset Rental Account.
o This arrangement aimed to increase the utilisation of all council buildings and drive down costs
o Regularise arrangements for use council properties by other organisations
o A draft policy was under consultation with Commissioners
- Civic Centre
The purpose was
- To consolidate property assets and deliver savings.
- To act as a civic hub and enable the council to adopt an outward community focus with flexible working
- To restore a historic building and act a part of an area regeneration plan.
The presentation received support from Board Members and invited parties and the following were noted:
Property:
- Progress made since the receipt of the Secretary of State’s directions and the work remaining to be completed.
- Proposals to be presented at Cabinet would make easy an open process to enable council buildings to be better used and better support offered to the organisations using them.
- The work undertaken was large, involving substantial consultation and in future would put all those using council assets on an equal footing.
- The first phase of the asset rental arrangements expires after the termination date of the Secretary of State’s directions; this did not present any issues as long as the Council was able to provide evidence of detailed arrangements to ensure that the process was made active as expected.
- The Asset Rental Account was the first element of a proper property policy framework and Commissioners looked forward to evidencing written framework details.
- Proposals around property had been considered by the Mayor and Cabinet members. These were ready to be taken forward via an open and transparent framework.
In discussing the presentation, the following information was given:
- Commissioners commended the progress made and noted that a longer time had been taken to achieve this progress due to denial of issues under the previous administration.
- Some community buildings while receiving a Council subsidy charged the Council excessive fees for the use of premises for councillor surgeries. The Chief Executive advised that use of premises for councillor surgeries was being reviewed and practices regularised.
- DRA was accessible to organisations that fulfilled pre-set criteria. Commissioners noted that to qualify for DRA, the activity provided must benefit the community in which it is delivered.
- The Chief Executive confirmed that the rigorous work will be undertaken to fulfil the directions in regard to property to establish an open and fair framework going forward from Commissioners’ departure. This framework would be adopted Council-wide.
Civic Centre
Ann Sutcliffe, Service Head Corporate Property and Capital Delivery informed the Board:
- Delivery of the new Civic Centre was part of a wider project to regenerate the Whitechapel area.
- Council services would be rationalised to two locations, the new Civic Centre site and John Onslow House.
- The Civic Centre Project Team:
- Will work with Historic England to ensure that the historicity of the old Royal London Hospital building will be retained and the new council facilities delivered.
- Is structured into work streams to deliver all elements of the project scope.
- It was expected that the Council would need to remain in Mulberry Place one year after the expiry of the lease.
In discussing the presentation, the following information was given:
- Headline cost savings were £77M; these had been reported to Cabinet at its meeting in November 2015. To move ahead the Council would need to decide if it wished to include Partners.
- The Council’s Conservation
Team had met with Historic England to identify historic features of
the Civic Centre building to determine what should be preserved and
what may be re-purposed. For financial
reasons officers, would seek to identify as many features of
historical worth as possible before works begin.
- Commissioners noted that there must be clear Member/political oversight of the project:
- to guard against risk. Members should oversee the risk register to ensure that project control was maintained. They were informed that there was a Cross-Party Working Group whose tasks included risk oversight. This body was well attended.
- When considering detailed design to ensure that opportunities for cultural change were not missed and a suitable venue for meetings delivered. Members acknowledged that buildings influenced culture and therefore it was intended that the premises would be more of a local presence to connect the Council to the people of the borough.
- Mulberry Place building was the only leased premises that would be released under the project, other premises were Council owned.
- It was not yet known whether Whitechapel Ideas Store would be incorporated into the Civic Centre
- The Chief Executive noted that he was targeted to deliver the Civic Centre on time and on budget. Although the original business case did not include co-occupancy, the Council was now looking at ways to have a presence with Partners and new community facings. This element overlaps with the organisational design project.
The Chair thanked officers for the understanding of the journey that needs to be taken to achieve the Council’s aims that the presentation had provided.
RESOLVED
- That the presentation and the matters discussed be noted.
- That actions agreed resulting from the discussion be noted.