Issue - meetings

A report by the Director of Finance and Resources.

RESOLVED that the Executive agrees that:

(a)  Ferneham Hall remains in its current location within the Civic Quarter;

(b)  the vision for Ferneham Hall, attached as Appendix A to the report, is approved;

(c)  the business plan created by AEA Consulting is refreshed and updated, excluding details of the Ashcroft Arts Centre, to ensure that all of the relevant data is available to make an informed decision going forward;

(d)  a procurement process be undertaken to identify a Leisure Trust operator as a partner, prepared to support the development of the new facility, including securing external sources of funding where appropriate, then managing the new facility in the future;

(e)  Ferneham Hall is closed in late 2019 to enable construction works to be undertaken;

(f)   the construction works are undertaken in three phases.  The first phase would include the remodelling of Ferneham Hall, demolishing the Octagon Lounge and opening up the foyer area.  The second phase would focus on the secondary theatre.  The third phase would be the dance studio;

(g)  in principle, the costs of phase one of the project be funded from the Community Infrastructure Levy and external funding where possible, with full project cost to be reported to the Executive later this year.  Funding of the latter phases of work would be subject to a further report, once an operator has been selected;

(h)  delegated authority be given to the Director of Finance and Resources, following consultation with the Executive Member for Leisure and Community, to utilise an initial sum of £100,000 to enable expenditure on fees covering aspects such as surveys, building redesign, further market research, the preparation of a planning application and project management.

(i)    a member working group be established to oversee the design and construction of the project, chaired by the Executive Member for Leisure and Community, to include four other members: Councillors TM Cartwright, MJ Ford, T Davies and Mrs KK Trott. The final design and costs will require the approval of the Executive prior to seeking planning permission; and

(j)    options for naming the new venue be presented to a future meeting of the Executive.

At the invitation of the Executive Leader, Councillor Mrs CLA Hockley addressed the Executive on this item.

RESOLVED that the Executive agrees that:

(a)  Ferneham Hall remains in its current location within the Civic Quarter;

(b)  the vision for Ferneham Hall, attached as Appendix A to the report, is approved;

(c)  the business plan created by AEA Consulting is refreshed and updated, excluding details of the Ashcroft Arts Centre, to ensure that all of the relevant data is available to make an informed decision going forward;

(d)  a procurement process be undertaken to identify a Leisure Trust operator as a partner, prepared to support the development of the new facility, including securing external sources of funding where appropriate, then managing the new facility in the future;

(e)  Ferneham Hall is closed in late 2019 to enable construction works to be undertaken;

(f)   the construction works are undertaken in three phases.  The first phase would include the remodelling of Ferneham Hall, demolishing the Octagon Lounge and opening up the foyer area.  The second phase would focus on the secondary theatre.  The third phase would be the dance studio;

(g)  in principle, the costs of phase one of the project be funded from the Community Infrastructure Levy and external funding where possible, with full project cost to be reported to the Executive later this year.  Funding of the latter phases of work would be subject to a further report, once an operator has been selected;

(h)  delegated authority be given to the Director of Finance and Resources, following consultation with the Executive Member for Leisure and Community, to utilise an initial sum of £100,000 to enable expenditure on fees covering aspects such as surveys, building redesign, further market research, the preparation of a planning application and project management.

(i)    a member working group be established to oversee the design and construction of the project, chaired by the Executive Member for Leisure and Community, to include four other members: Councillors TM Cartwright, MJ Ford, T Davies and Mrs KK Trott.  The final design and costs will require the approval of the Executive prior to seeking planning permission; and

(j)    options for naming the new venue be presented to a future meeting of the Executive.