The Committee:
(1) Noted the position to date;
(2) Authorised Officers, following consultation with the Chairman of the Strategy and Resources Committee, to finalise a pack of information to be available for anyone interested in putting forward a bid for the building: such pack to be available by the end of February 2016;
(3) Agreed the allocation of funds as follows:
a) Up to £450,000 to be available to any purchaser to be expended on the refurbishment and renovation of Horton Chapel;
b) Up to a further £1 million to be available to any purchaser proposing a wholly community/charitable end use for the building;
c) Any mixed use incorporating community/charitable uses and commercial use to be entitled to a sum between the above figures depending on the nature of the mix proposed, with the intention that it be limited to a sum up to £500,000 in addition to the sum at (a)
d) Additional sums to be held at this point as a contingency and to meet the cost of all professional advice and assistance.
(4) Agreed that bids be invited for community/charitable proposals to be submitted by the end of June 2016; and
(5) Agreed that a further report be brought to the Committee at its meeting on 28 June 2016 to update on progress and to consider whether/when/how marketing for commercial bids should commence.
The Committee:
· Publically noted the position to date but excluded the press and public from the meeting for certain of its deliberations on the grounds that the nature of proceedings dealt with information relating to the financial or business affairs of the Council;
· Did not authorise Officers to engage an agent to market the property for freehold disposal;
· Did not authorise Officers to agree allocation of funds for the purposes off the marketing exercise;
· Did not agree that the period for submission of bids be 4 months;
· Requested that a report be brought back to the Strategy and Resources Committee in January 2016.
Note: In accordance with the Local Code of Conduct for Members, Councillor Kington declared a disclosable pecuniary interest as he owns a property in the vicinity of Horton Chapel. He withdrew from the meeting during consideration of this item.