Meeting documents

To consider a report by the Cabinet Member for Community and Resources.

The Cabinet considered a report by the Cabinet Member for Community and Resources on the issues related to the various asset classes of Property, Highways, ICT, Fleet and Waste.

Cllr Ferrari highlighted some of the key issues in the report and noted the good progress being made across a number of areas.

Members of the Cabinet received a statement from Cllr Clare Sutton, County Councillor for Rodwell, in respect of the Quarterly Asset Management report.  The statement is attached as an annexure to these minutes.

In respect of the statement, the Director for Children’s Services highlighted the background to the transfers of youth centres into community ownership. The Youth Centre mentioned in the county councillor’s statement was different and he went on to explain this difference. 

The Cabinet Member for Safeguarding welcomed the work STEPs were providing for young people in Weymouth, and confirmed that the Council understood that it would take longer to transfer the asset because of the extra time required to negotiate with the Department for Education (DfE).  As long as the Charity kept the Cabinet informed he was content for this to continue.  He added that he felt that the asset transfers in connection with the youth service had been a successful move by the County Council.

In respect of St Andrews, Cllr Haynes was pleased to see that it was progressing but wanted to clarify that the County Council was not considering closing the day centre but would seek to re-provide the facility within a new care village in Bridport.

Cllr Parry, on behalf of Cllr Pauline Batstone, as the County Councillor for the Blackmore Vale asked for an addition to recommendation 7 in respect of the Thomas Hardy items to include ‘museum or other suitable safe places’, which was agreed.

Resolved

1. That the completion dates for the transfer of the listed Youth Centres to the respective community bodies be approved; and furthermore, that if any of these dates are not achieved, the County Council will either agree an immutable date for completion of the transfer, or withdraw from any further negotiations, after consultation with the portfolio holder for Community and Resources (para 3.2.8);

2. That Baileys, 131 Barrack Road Christchurch be declared surplus and that the listing authority for assets of community value be notified immediately thereafter of the intention to sell, allowing time for discussions with The Water Lily Project to progress during the moratorium period prior to any formal marketing process (para 3.3.5) be approved;

3. That Horizon West, Cromwell Road, Weymouth be declared surplus and disposed of on the open market on terms to be agreed by the Chief Financial Officer (para 3.4.2) be approved;

4. That the County Council enters into a contract with NHS Dorset on terms to be agreed by the Chief Financial Officer, to enable NHS Dorset to progress plans for constructing a new GP Surgery on part of the Wareham Middle School site (para 3.5.5) be approved;

5. That the transfer the land between no’s 38 & 46 Salisbury Street, Shaftesbury to Shaftesbury Town Council for use as public open space and otherwise on terms to be agreed by the Chief Financial Officer (para 3.6.3) be approved.

6. That the final construction cost overspend of approximately £600,000 on the Bridport Waste Management Centre be funded from the County Council’s existing capital contingency budget and that Cabinet notes that the final overspend will not be known until the final commuted maintenance sum is confirmed by Highways England (para 7.1.11) be approved;

7. That the transfer of an oil painting of a local townscape on a renewable five-year loan agreement, governed by Arts Council Museum Accreditation to be agreed between the County Council and the Blandford Museum be approved; and that the proposal to transfer a number of low value other pieces of visual art, mainly of Thomas Hardy, and local pottery to any local museum or other suitable safe places on a renewable five-year agreement and if not of interest to any museum, to the disposal of these items through a local auction sale (para 8.1.4) be approved;

8. That the overall revised estimates and cash flows for projects as summarised and detailed in appendices 1 and 2 (para 9.2) be noted;

9. That the use of delegated powers by the Director for Children’s Services (para 3.9.3) be noted; and

10. That the emerging issues for each asset class be noted.

Reason for Decision

A well-managed Council would ensure that the best use was made of its assets in terms of optimising service benefit, minimising environmental impact and maximising financial return.