Agenda item

NORTH HERTFORDSHIRE MUSEUM & HITCHIN TOWN HALL: ACQUISITION OF 14/15 BRAND STREET

REPORT OF THE DEPUTY CHIEF EXECUTIVE

 

This report seeks the formal approval of Cabinet for the Settlement Agreement and purchase of 14/15 Brand Street

Decision:

Prior to the item being discussed Councillor Bernard Lovewell declared a declarable interest in that he was a Member of the Cabinet Sub-Committee (Council Charities) and, in accordance with legal advice given previously, would leave the Chamber for the duration of the item.

 

Prior to the item being discussed Councillor Julian Cunningham declared a declarable interest in that he was a Member of the Cabinet Sub-Committee (Council Charities) and, in accordance with legal advice given previously, would leave the Chamber for the duration of the item.

 

Prior to the item being discussed Councillor Michael Weeks declared a declarable interest in that he was a Member of the Cabinet Sub-Committee (Council Charities) and, in accordance with legal advice given previously, would leave the Chamber for the duration of the item.

 

RESOLVED:

 

(1)       That the purchase of 14/15 Brand Street for £550,000 be approved;

 

(2)       That the Council should enter into the Settlement Agreement at Appendix A;

 

(3)       That the timeline for the full opening of the North Hertfordshire Museum be noted.

 

REASONS FOR DECISION:

 

(1)       To enable the Council to complete the development of the North Hertfordshire Museum/Hitchin Town Hall project as intended by Council and operate the facility for the benefit of the local community;

 

(2)       To protect the Council’s interests and obtain best return from the Council’s existing investment and to secure projected income from the facility to offset some of the operational and fixed costs.

Minutes:

Audio recording – Start time of item – Session 2 - 8 minutes.57 seconds

 

Prior to the item being discussed Councillor Bernard Lovewell declared a declarable interest in that he was a Member of the Cabinet Sub-Committee (Council Charities) and, in accordance with legal advice given previously, would leave the Chamber for the duration of the item.

 

Prior to the item being discussed Councillor Julian Cunningham declared a declarable interest in that he was a Member of the Cabinet Sub-Committee (Council Charities) and, in accordance with legal advice given previously, would leave the Chamber for the duration of the item.

 

Prior to the item being discussed Councillor Michael Weeks declared a declarable interest in that he was a Member of the Cabinet Sub-Committee (Council Charities) and, in accordance with legal advice given previously, would leave the Chamber for the duration of the item.

 

The Executive Member for Community Engagement and Rural Affairs presented a report of the Deputy Chief Executive in respect of North Hertfordshire Museum & Hitchin Town Hall: Acquisition of 14/15 Brand Street. The following Appendices were presented with the report:

 

·                Appendix A - Proposed Settlement Agreement;

·                Appendix B- Gantt chart of activities required for the full opening of Hitchin Town Hall and District Museum.

 

The Executive Member for Community Engagement and Rural Affairs referred Cabinet to the referral from the Cabinet Sub-Committee (Council Charities) (Minute 56 refers) which:

 

RESOLVED: That the Charities Sub-Committee:

 

(1)       Notes the proposal for the Council to acquire 14/15 Brand Street for a purchase price of £550,000.00;

(2)       Confirms that it has no objections to the settlement agreement referred to in the submitted report;

(3)       Authorises the Council to execute the settlement agreement on behalf of the Trust;

(4)       Delegates to the Service Director - Customers in consultation with the Trust Lawyer and the Chairman of the Cabinet Sub-Committee authority to review the management agreement entered into between the Hitchin Town Hall Gymnasium and Workmans Hall Trust and the Council and to make any minor amendments to take account of the settlement agreement in the event that it is completed;

(5)       Requests that the Cabinet be informed of the resolutions of the Sub-Committee as detailed in (1) – (4).

 

At this point Cabinet considered the Part 2 report (Minute 62 refers).

 

Audio recording – Session 3 - 1 second

 

Following consideration of the Part 2 report the Executive Member for Community Engagement and Rural Affairs proposed the recommendations as detailed in the report and upon the vote it was:

 

RESOLVED:

 

(1)       That the purchase of 14/15 Brand Street for £550,000 be approved;

 

(2)       That the Council should enter into the Settlement Agreement at Appendix A;

 

(3)       That the timeline for the full opening of the North Hertfordshire Museum be noted.

 

REASONS FOR DECISION:

 

(1)       To enable the Council to complete the development of the North Hertfordshire Museum/Hitchin Town Hall project as intended by Council and operate the facility for the benefit of the local community;

 

(2)       To protect the Council’s interests and obtain best return from the Council’s existing investment and to secure projected income from the facility to offset some of the operational and fixed costs.

Supporting documents: