Issue - meetings

Councillor Holden submits a report that outlines the options that have been considered with regard to the City Rooms and details the views of the Finance, Resources and Equal Opportunities Scrutiny Committee and the Arts, Leisure and Environment Scrutiny Committee and seeks consideration of the long leasehold disposal of this property enabling private finance to be introduced. The Cabinet is asked to; note the options that have been explored with regard to the future usage of the City Rooms; note the comments of the Scrutiny Committees and consider the proposal that the City Rooms be marketed, with a view to a disposal on a long leasehold basis thereby attracting inward investment to secure its future; and receive a further report following the marketing exercise on the outcome and interest received.

Councillor Patel submitted a report which outlined the options that had been considered with regard to the City Rooms and sought approval to the long leasehold disposal of the property enabling private finance to be introduced. It was noted that a substantial sum of money would be required to bring the building into a state of good repair and ensure the required standards of access under the Disability Discrimination Act. Officers had considered a number of options and investigated other sources of funding, the latter of which had proved very limited.

Members of the Cabinet noted the comments made by Scrutiny Committees.

The Arts, Leisure and Environment Scrutiny Committee, after consideration, gave all party support to the proposed course of action, which ensured the Council ultimately, retained the building. The Finance, Resources and Equal Opportunities Scrutiny Committee made comments regarding the Council not investing in the City Rooms earlier and it was questioned why the Rooms were low priority, to which Officers noted this was a result of a Best Value review. They also gave support to the proposed course of action.

The work of Officers in carrying out the investigations on options for the future of the City Rooms in the light of the Best Value review was also acknowledged.

Councillor Willmott commented further that the he felt the course of action being taken was appropriate because of the large amounts of money required to refurbish the building. He also commented that the Cabinet was committed to ensuring a sympathetic use for the Rooms and would give further consideration to the results of the proposed marketing exercise.

RESOLVED:

(1)that the options explored with regard to the future usage of the City Rooms, be noted;

(2)that the City Rooms be marketed, as referred to in the report, with a view to a disposal on a long leasehold basis thereby attracting inward investment to secure its future; and

(3)that a further report be submitted to Cabinet following the marketing exercise indicating the outcome and the interest received.