Agenda item

Councillor Roger Ramsey, Cabinet Member for Value, and Councillor Andrew Curtin, Cabinet Member for Culture, Towns and Communities, jointly introduced the report

As part of the Council’s Asset Management Plan, it was explained that strategic reviews were periodically undertaken for individual asset groups to challenge whether the existing asset base should be retained, or alternatively whether the opportunity could be taken to rationalise and/or release assets where Council ownership was no longer optimal.

It was reported that the Council completed a review of all of its community halls in 2009. A decision on the future of the halls managed by Culture and Leisure was deferred pending a review of the Council’s capital programme and consideration of any Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) proposals that might impact on the future of the community halls.

Members were reminded that the Council’s MTFS Financial Strategy, agreed by Cabinet in July 2011, outlined a variety of savings proposals, including a projected saving of £60k in 2012/13, rising to £107k in 2013/14, resulting from a review of management arrangements for the community halls operated by Culture and Leisure services.

The most recent Condition Surveys for the community halls managed by Culture and Leisure Services had been conducted in 2007. Since then a lack of capital resources had meant that little work had been carried out to the halls and, in addition to outstanding works, there were now additional works that needed to be undertaken. The report provided details of the investment needed for the four halls. 

Members noted the suggestion by staff that the transfer of the management of community halls could not easily be achieved unless outstanding urgent investment needs were addressed prior to transfer. It was therefore recognised that to achieve a successful transfer, in a timescale that ensured the MTFS revenue savings were achieved, it was considered essential to have capital funds available to deal with such urgent works. It was noted however that there were currently no capital funds available and little likelihood that the Council could secure external funding for this purpose.         

In the view of staff, there was no alternative but to dispose of one of the halls to realise a receipt and use a proportion of that receipt to invest in the halls that would remain open. If this strategy is not progressed there is a danger that Culture and Leisure’s MTFS savings may not be achieved and, worse, levels of income would reduce further as a result of the buildings deteriorating further.  

The report provided details concerning the usage and distribution of the remaining facilities in order to make recommendations about their future retention, transfer or closure.

Reasons for the decision:

To provide a sustainable community halls infrastructure, ensure retained assets receive adequate investment and ensure that Culture and Leisure Services achieves its MTFS savings targets. 

Other options considered:

Options had been considered for each of the four community halls that currently remain in the direct management of Culture and Leisure Services. The decision to retain, close or transfer management has, in each case, been based on a number of factors including condition, investment needs and proximity to other community facilities.

Retention of all four facilities within the Council’s direct management is not considered to be a sustainable option, resulting in the decision to rationalise these assets, recycling the receipt from the disposal of some for the benefit of investment in others.

Attention was paid to the relevant equalities implications and risks as detailed in the report.  Cabinet noted that a number of local community groups would be affected by the proposals and that the Council would seek to protect usage by existing user groups where a transfer took place and, where a closure resulted the Council would help the groups affected to find alternative premises.

Cabinet noted that an Equality and Fairness Assessment had been completed for the restructure report that was linked to Culture and Leisure Services’ MTFS proposals. This included an assessment of the impact on transferring or closing the Culture and Leisure community halls on staff and the local community.

A considerable portion of the debate focussed on the proposed closure of Dukes Hall.  Cabinet noted that a further Equality Impact Assessment would be produced and any recommendations carefully considered, to ensure that the impact on current Dukes Hall users was minimised as far as was possible. In considering the recommended closure of Dukes Hall, Cabinet gave due consideration to the potential impact upon some groups with protected characteristics as defined by the Equality Act 2010 and that all reasonable measures would be taken to mitigate the impact upon these individuals in considering alternative accommodation proposals which was highlighted during the debate as a concern for members present at the meeting.

Cabinet AGREED:

1.         To the closure of Dukes Hall, as from April 1^st  2012 and to delegate to the Lead Members for Value and the Lead Member for Culture, Towns and Communities authority to agree terms for its disposal.

2.         To agree to demolish Old Windmill Hall now, to be initially funded from Capital Contingency, which will be reimbursed from the Dukes Hall receipt

3.         In principle, to a proportion of the capital receipt arising from the disposal of Dukes Hall being utilised to deal with urgent repair and maintenance issues at the New Windmill Hall and Tweed Way Hall, assuming that these two halls transfer to a community organisation under a Lease Agreement. To delegate the decision on the level of capital spend from the Dukes Hall receipt on alternative community halls managed by Culture and Leisure Services, to the Lead Member for Value and the Lead Member for Culture, Towns and Communities. 

4.         In principle, to the transfer of the management of the New Windmill Hall to a community group or, in the event of this not proving possible, bring a further report back to Cabinet for consideration of subsequent options.   

5.         In principle, to the transfer of the management of the Tweed Way Hall to a community group or, in the event of this not proving possible, bring a further report back to Cabinet for consideration of subsequent options.

6.         To delegate decisions on all property matters associated with the transfer of New Windmill Hall and / or Tweed Way Hall, including the criteria for selecting the preferred voluntary group if more than one group expresses an interest in managing one of the halls, the selection of the preferred community group (s) and finalising lease terms, to the Lead Member for Value and the Lead Member for Culture, Towns and Communities. 

7.         In principle, to protecting existing bookings at those community halls that transfer to a community group, to be set out in relevant agreements; 

8.         To the demolition of the Old Windmill Hall building given the danger it poses to people who might try to enter the site, subject to the Dukes Hall site being disposed of and to be funded from the associated capital receipt

9.         To receive a further report on the option of disposing of the Old Windmill Hall site and adjoining land, to secure further investment in the New Windmill Hall facility for the purposes of leasing the building to a community group and surrounding facilities, in the context of improving the local environment and taking account of the setting of nearby listed buildings.  

10.       In principle to Cottons Hall being reopened when a Lease can be agreed with a suitable community organisation or, if this does not prove possible, to receive a further report on the future of the site.