DECISION

1.    To Note the terms for the proposed lease with the Diocese and delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Place to obtain any necessary consents required to the letting to the Diocese.

2.    To Delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Place to enter and complete the lease.

3.    Should the lease not complete for any reason, to delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Place to be able to declare the site as surplus to requirements and marketed.

4.    Subject to receiving further legal advice, to delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Place to approve the removal of the restrictive covenant running across the School site if appropriate.

Action by:

CORPORATE DIRECTOR PLACE (A. SUTCLIFFE)

(Director of Integrated Growth and Development (V. Clark)

(Head of Asset Management (S. Shapiro)

Reasons for Decision

Under the Council constitution, we are required to seek authority for entering a tenancy over a £100k threshold. This transaction falls within this category as rent is over £121k per annum over 21 years.

Alternative Options

Use by another school -   There are other non-private schools that access this sport hall, but they may not have the financial capacity to pay the rent we have secured on this site.

Seek a private leisure provider - The sports hall is accessible via St Matthias School.   Whilst the hall may be rented to a non-school user, access and other matters may need to be reviewed so fully independent and to reduce any child protection concerns.  Additionally, local primary schools use the sports hall, if this arrangement was required for the private leisure provider, the rental income is likely to be impacted.   Use by of the site by a non -neighbour would require creating an additional access route to the building which is currently accessed via the school site.

Disposal - Whilst disposal on the open market is always an option, it is understood that Sports Lottery Funds may have been used to build this facility and disposal may contravene the terms of the funding.

Councillor Mufeedah Bustin, Cabinet Member for Social Inclusion – (Job Share post as part of Social Inclusion and Public Realm portfolio) introduced the report that sought agreement for the council to enter into a rental agreement with The London Diocesan Board for Schools for the letting of a sports hall. Councillor Bustin advised that, as part of the negotiations, some use of the hall for local primary schools had been secured.

The Mayor welcomed the report and noted the exempt appendix. He moved the recommendations as set out and they were agreed without dissent. It was:

RESOLVED:

1.    To Note the terms for the proposed lease with the Diocese and delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Place to obtain any necessary consents required to the letting to the Diocese.

2.    To Delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Place to enter and complete the lease.

3.    Should the lease not complete for any reason, to delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Place to be able to declare the site as surplus to requirements and marketed.

4.    Subject to receiving further legal advice, to delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Place to approve the removal of the restrictive covenant running across the School site if appropriate.

Action by:

CORPORATE DIRECTOR PLACE (A. SUTCLIFFE)

(Director of Integrated Growth and Development (V. Clark)

(Head of Asset Management (S. Shapiro)

Reasons for Decision

Under the Council constitution, we are required to seek authority for entering a tenancy over a £100k threshold. This transaction falls within this category as rent is over £121k per annum over 21 years.

Alternative Options

Use by another school -   There are other non-private schools that access this sport hall, but they may not have the financial capacity to pay the rent we have secured on this site.

Seek a private leisure provider - The sports hall is accessible via St Matthias School.   Whilst the hall may be rented to a non-school user, access and other matters may need to be reviewed so fully independent and to reduce any child protection concerns.  Additionally, local primary schools use the sports hall, if this arrangement was required for the private leisure provider, the rental income is likely to be impacted.   Use by of the site by a non -neighbour would require creating an additional access route to the building which is currently accessed via the school site.

Disposal - Whilst disposal on the open market is always an option, it is understood that Sports Lottery Funds may have been used to build this facility and disposal may contravene the terms of the funding.