Decision details

Reasons for Decision

To allow the completion of a lease of the former Verwood Youth Centre premises to Verwood Town Council, following the inability to complete a lease to EMS (Youth and Community) Centre Ltd and their successor body the Wimborne MAT, following the conversion of the school to an Academy.

Alternative options considered and rejected

No other options considered as this approach to lease to another Authority supports the original decision for these properties to be continued to be used to support community provision.

DCC’s Cabinet resolved on 25 May 2016:

(i) approves the use of the County Council’s general power of competence to grant a freehold transfer, assignment of lease, or long leasehold interest in the youth centre buildings at Somerford, Burton, Gillingham, Bridport, Dorchester, Crossways, Sherborne, Southill, STEPS, Verwood, Wareham, and Swanage to the respective community bodies on terms to be agreed by the Director for Environment and the Economy, after consultation with the Director for Children’s Services and the Monitoring Officer;

And:

4.11 East Dorset – Verwood

The lease to Emmanuel Middle School Governors or the EMS (Youth and Community) Centre Ltd, as was subsequently agreed, and their successor body the Wimborne MAT, following the conversion of the school to an Academy has not been completed.  Verwood Town Council have now agreed to take the Centre on under a lease agreement in order to support the social, economic and /or environmental wellbeing of the area by allowing community groups, schools etc to rent the premises.

A delegated decision was required by the Executive Director Place, as the successor role to the DCC Director for Environment and the Economy, to agree to the change of nominated body to take a lease of this property.