Decision details

The Committee resolved:-

In relation to Leased Centres:-

(i)            recommend to the City Growth and Resources Committee that they instruct the Chief Officer – Corporate Landlord to replace the existing leases and management agreements with ten year leases (or leases for such shorter periods as the tenants may wish) only; such leases to give the Council the power to terminate the leases at any time by providing 12 months’ notice, on specified grounds, and otherwise to contain such provisions as are agreed with the tenants.

(ii)          note that future development grants, as may be agreed via the Council’s budgetary process, will be provided by means of funding letters from the Chief Officer – Early Intervention and Community Empowerment, as detailed in section 9 of this report.

(iii)         agrees that the funding for leased community centres should be agreed as part of the council’s annual budget setting process and recommends to the Council, for 2020/21, there should be no reduction in the direct and indirect financial support provided to leased community centre management committees.

(iv)         notes that the leased community centre management committees will require to seek independent legal advice during the negotiation of new leases and recommends to the City Growth and Resources Committee that they instruct that the Council will meet the reasonable costs of this and that the Chief Officer – Corporate Landlord report to the relevant committee on how this can be facilitated.

In relation to Learning Centres:-

(v)          instruct the Chief Officer – Early Intervention and Community Empowerment to review the Council’s Operational Agreements with learning centre associations over the next 12 months and thereafter to report back to this Committee with the outcome and findings of this review.