To receive petitions, comments and questions from the public.
Decision:
Mr Bernard Eddleston, Chair of Charnwood House Community Management Association thanked the Chair for the opportunity to address Cabinet regarding the report entitled Charnwood House, Hitchin.
The Chair thanked Mr Eddleston for his presentation.
Minutes:
Audio recording – 7 minutes 55 seconds
Mr Bernard Eddleston, Chairman of Charnwood House Community Management Association thanked the Chair for the opportunity to address Cabinet regarding the report entitled Charnwood House, Hitchin as follows:
· Charnwood House Community Management Association was the community group mentioned in the report.
· They had worked with Officers over the past year and made a major input to the report.
· They were determined to help return Charnwood to public use as a Community Hub for the benefit of Hitchin residents.
· Any information contained in the Part 2 report could not be confirmed as to its accuracy.
· Charnwood was gifted by the Moss family to Hitchin Urban District Council in 1937.
· Due to the preamble to and the wording contained in the conveyance, the building could not be sold or leased for private use as offices or flats.
· The building had been registered by CCMA as an Asset of Community Value.
· CCMA was established as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) several years ago.
· CCMA were successful in obtaining a small grant from Social Investment Business to carry out a feasibility study and had undertaken a survey of the building, engaged an architect to draw up plans for the internal modifications, had a surveyor draw up a detailed cost plan and produced an initial business plan. These had been submitted to Officers and the Executive member for Enterprise and Co-operative Development in confidence for the sole purpose of evaluating our proposals.
· The cost plan indicated that a there would be significant expenditure required by the Council to return the building to a good state of repair.
· The remaining museum items was minimal and could be moved in a few weeks.
· The building was unheated and therefore unsuitable for long term storage of items.
· The building could therefore be declared surplus to requirements in a matter of months so that renovation could start.
· The CCMA business plan showed that the building could be run successfully for use by Community groups on a full repairing basis thus relieving the Council of future expenditure once the building was repaired and modified.
· Should the Council give agreement in principle to the transfer of Charnwood to a community group, the plan would need to be refined and they would work with the Council to obtain grants to carry out the necessary internal modifications.
· CCMA had demonstrated that they had the expertise to make successful grant applications.
· The current trustee body had a wide range of expertise although would seek to expand it and also engage in a publicity campaign with local residents and community groups.
· They hoped that Cabinet would make a decision to proceed in principle with the lease of Charnwood to a Community Group and looked forward to working co-operatively with the Council to make this a reality.
The following Members asked questions:
· Councillor Judi Billing;
· Councillor Ian Albert;
In response to questions the Chair advised:
· That information contained in the Part 2 report had been deemed as commercially sensitive.
Mr Eddleston informed Members that:
· That it was envisaged that a range of groups would use the building including U3A, educational trusts, and social investment companies such as the Language Centre.
· Income could be supplemented by using the building as a venue for small weddings.
· It would be challenging to raise grant funding, but if the Council was seen to put in some money it would be easier to raise funds.
· They were aware that a lot of funding had been diverted to the Pandemic, so would have to see what funding streams were available.
· In general it was best that the building be run by the local community.
The Chair thanked Mr Eddleston for his presentation.