Minutes:
The Council considered a report by the Head of Venues and Facilities arising from the recommendations of the Social Committee following the recent service review undertaken by the Audit, Crime & Disorder and Scrutiny Committee.
In moving the recommendations set out in the report, the Chairman of the Social Committee stated that she was committed to social activities for all ages – not just for the elderly or retired. She considered that it was important that the Council provided Social Centres which complemented services provided by the Leisure Developments Team and the voluntary sector even though it did not have a statutory obligation to do so. In fact, the Longmead Centre had recently won an award for its services. The Chairman went on to state that she was supportive of the amalgamation of the two Social Centres. The Longmead Centre was capable of accommodating an increase in members but would need refurbishment and rebranding. It was accessible by public transport and serviced by Routecall.
It was MOVED by Councillor Tina Mountain and SECONDED by Councillor Alexander Clarke that:
“the decision regarding the future of the Wells social community Centre be deferred until a full consultation be carried out with the residents of the Wells Estate”
Upon the MOTION being put, it was LOST, there being 6 Members in favour and the majority against
It was thereupon MOVED by Councillor Neil Dallen and SECONDED by Councillor Clive Woodbridge that:
“This Council
(1) Recognises that, faced with a funding shortfall of around £2.5 million by 2019/2020, due to central government cuts, the most efficient use of council funds is to amalgamate all Social Centre provision into one Centre in Sefton Road, which is to be known as the Epsom Centre;
(2) Further recognises that the current subsidy of £362 per member at the Wells Centre is not sustainable and agrees to review the cost of this provision as part of the move to one centre, with a view to increasing value for money while enhancing the range of services provided;
(3) As part of the move to one centre, commits to provide up to £70,000 from any capital sum derived from any disposal of the Wells Centre to support development of the Epsom Centre, in order to deliver improved service provision;
(4) Noting that the Wells Centre currently has community use, based on current hiring levels, agrees that on-going provision for a community facility should form part of any disposal of the Wells Centre;
And that should Members decide in favour of 1 to 4 above, this Council agrees to:
(5) Investigate disposal of the Wells Centre, which is to be carried out either by:
a) Raising the required finance to develop the site into housing to be managed by a company set up there to do; or
b) Selling to a developer and thereby realising a capital receipt;
and in both cases with a view towards making ongoing provision for a community facility, subject to officer evaluation and advice on these options, and any other such options as they consider appropriate.
(6) And approves the following:
c) Social Centre provision at the Wells Centre will cease from close of business on Friday April 1st 2016;
d) Current hirers of the Wells Centre, including the Wells Preschool, be allowed to continue to use the venue until such time as a decision is taken as to the future of the building, providing they provide caretaking services themselves and have appropriate insurance, enabling EEBC expenditure at the venue to be limited, to avoid breaking the 5% VAT partial exemption calculation.
e) Members agree to the creation of a task group of three members nominated by full council and supported by the Chief Executive, Director of Finance and Resources and the Head of Venues to oversee the rationalisation to one site, any disposal of the Wells and any subsequent improvement works to the Sefton Road site, and to report back progress to the relevant committees.
f) Members agree to include options a) to f) in section 5.6 of this report as options to be considered as part of the report to Strategy and Resources committee regarding disposal of the Wells Centre site”.
Upon being put, the MOTION was CARRIED, there being 29 Members in favour and 6 against.
It was thereupon MOVED by Councillor Vince Romagnuolo and SECONDED by Councillor Rob Geleit that:
“the number of members on the task group be increased to five and that two of the five members be Councillors from the relevant Wards of Stamford and Court”
Upon being put, the MOTION was LOST, there being 7 Members in favour, 26 against and 2 not voting.
It was thereupon MOVED by Councillor Tina Mountain and SECONDED by Councillor Alexander Clarke that:
“one of three members on the task group be Conservative”
Upon being put, the MOTION was LOST, there being 3 Members in favour, 2 members not voting and the majority against.
Upon being put, the substantive MOTION was CARRIED there being 27 members in favour, 6 members against and 2 not voting
RESOLVED
This Council
(1) Recognises that, faced with a funding shortfall of around £2.5 million by 2019/2020, due to central government cuts, the most efficient use of council funds is to amalgamate all Social Centre provision into one Centre in Sefton Road, which is to be known as the Epsom Centre;
(2) Further recognises that the current subsidy of £362 per member at the Wells Centre is not sustainable and agrees to review the cost of this provision as part of the move to one centre, with a view to increasing value for money while enhancing the range of services provided;
(3) As part of the move to one centre, commits to provide up to £70,000 from any capital sum derived from any disposal of the Wells Centre to support development of the Epsom Centre, in order to deliver improved service provision;
(4) Noting that the Wells Centre currently has community use, based on current hiring levels, agrees that on-going provision for a community facility should form part of any disposal of the Wells Centre;
And that should Members decide in favour of 1 to 4 above, this Council agrees to:
(5) Investigate disposal of the Wells Centre, which is to be carried out either by:
a) Raising the required finance to develop the site into housing to be managed by a company set up there to do; or
b) Selling to a developer and thereby realising a capital receipt;
and in both cases with a view towards making ongoing provision for a community facility, subject to officer evaluation and advice on these options, and any other such options as they consider appropriate.
(6) And approves the following:
a) Social Centre provision at the Wells Centre will cease from close of business on Friday April 1st 2016;
b) Current hirers of the Wells Centre, including the Wells Preschool, be allowed to continue to use the venue until such time as a decision is taken as to the future of the building, providing they provide caretaking services themselves and have appropriate insurance, enabling EEBC expenditure at the venue to be limited, to avoid breaking the 5% VAT partial exemption calculation.
c) Members agree to the creation of a task group of three members nominated by full council and supported by the Chief Executive, Director of Finance and Resources and the Head of Venues to oversee the rationalisation to one site, any disposal of the Wells and any subsequent improvement works to the Sefton Road site, and to report back progress to the relevant committees.
d) Members agree to include options a) to f) in section 5.6 of this report as options to be considered as part of the report to Strategy and Resources committee regarding disposal of the Wells Centre site.