Agenda item

To consider a report of the Portfolio Holder for Economic Growth, Assets & Property. The Place and Resources Scrutiny Committee has been invited to review the report at its meeting on 25 March 2021. (The committee’s comments are to follow).

 

Appendices 2 and  4-8 (not for publication by virtue of paragraph 3 of schedule 12A, Part 1 of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended)

Decision

 

(a)       That the principle of consolidating the Council’s office requirements on the County Hall/Colliton Park site as a ‘public service civic hub’ subject to the Council ensuring it takes due regard to the requirements of the Equality Act 2010, be agreed;

 

(b)       That the principle of utilizing any surplus space within the County Hall/Colliton Park site for use by third sector and other public sector bodies be agreed and to review the possibility to repurpose and refurbish any such assets currently leased to and in use by them for residential purpose or for disposal;

 

(c)        Agree to retain the Library facility in South Walks House with a                    Customer Access Point;

 

(d)       That Cabinet reaffirms the principle that we are a member led authority and that local Members should always be consulted on issues affecting their Wards;

 

(e)       That planning permission be sought to repurpose South Walks House and South Annexe for residential use through a process of refurbishing or redeveloping the existing buildings whilst retaining the Library facility in South Walks House and a Customer Access point;

 

(f)        Agree to the Council, whilst planning consent is being sought for the repurposing of South Walks House and South Annexe for residential use, to continue to explore and investigate alternative uses so as to ensure that the Council achieves best commercial (including hotel use), social and economic value prior to bringing forward the final recommendation to Cabinet for approval as to future use. 

 

Reason for the decision   

 

The effective use of the asset base will help enable the Council to meet its social and financial challenges through asset disposals, generation of capital receipts, savings in costs through the reduction, rationalisation and improved efficiency of the estate and more importantly the generation of value through income generation and the repurposing, redirecting and reuse of land and buildings for housing, schools and other essential service needs.

Cabinet considered a report on the rationalisation of the council’s property asset for office accommodation in Dorchester following the reorganisation of local government in Dorset.  A number of options had been considered by officers and the changes in technology and access to information were also taken into account.

 

The Portfolio Holder for Economic Growth, Assets and Property advised that  the Place and Resources Scrutiny Committee had reviewed the Cabinet report at its meeting of 25 March 2021 and had made the following recommendations:

 

1.         Agree to the principle of consolidating the Council’s office

requirements on the County Hall/Colliton Park site as a ‘public service

civic hub’ subject to the Council ensuring that it takes due regard to

the requirements of the Equality Act 2010

2.         Agree to the principle of utilising any surplus space within the County

Hall/Colliton Park site for use by third sector and other public sector

bodies and to review the possibility to repurpose and refurbish any

such assets currently leased to and in use by them for residential

purpose or for disposal

3.         Agree to retain the Library facility in South Walks House with a

Customer Access Point

4.         Reaffirms the principle that we are a member-led authority and that

local Members should always be consulted on issues affecting their

Wards.

5.         Agree to the Council seeking planning permission to repurpose South

Walks House and South Annexe for residential use through a process

of refurbishing or redeveloping the existing buildings whilst retaining

the Library facility in South Walks House and a Customer Access

Point.

 

The Portfolio Holder proposed the above recommendations for approval with the following addition set out as 6 below.  Recommendations 1 to 6 were also seconded by Cllr J Haynes.

 

6.         Agree to the Council, whilst planning consent is being sought for the repurposing of South Walks House and South Annexe for residential use, to continue to explore and investigate alternative uses so as to ensure that the Council achieves best commercial (including hotel use), social and economic value prior to bringing forward the final recommendation to Cabinet for approval as to future use.   

 

In response to questions, the Portfolio Holder confirmed that:-

·         Local ward Councillors would be kept fully informed of progress;

·         The use for government offices was explored with no success;

·         When the final recommendations report comes forward it would be made available to Place and Resources Scrutiny Committee before being considered by Cabinet for approval. 

 

Upon being put to the vote recommendations 1-6 were approved.

 

Decision (unanimous)

 

(a)       That the principle of consolidating the Council’s office requirements on the County Hall/Colliton Park site as a ‘public service civic hub’ subject to the Council ensuring it takes due regard to the requirements of the Equality Act 2010, be agreed;

 

(b)       That the principle of utilizing any surplus space within the County Hall/Colliton Park site for use by third sector and other public sector bodies be agreed and to review the possibility to repurpose and refurbish any such assets currently leased to and in use by them for residential purpose or for disposal;

 

(c)        Agree to retain the Library facility in South Walks House with a                    Customer Access Point;

 

(d)       That Cabinet reaffirms the principle that we are a member led authority and that local Members should always be consulted on issues affecting their Wards;

 

(e)       That planning permission be sought to repurpose South Walks House and South Annexe for residential use through a process of refurbishing or redeveloping the existing buildings whilst retaining the Library facility in South Walks House and a Customer Access point;

 

(f)        Agree to the Council, whilst planning consent is being sought for the repurposing of South Walks House and South Annexe for residential use, to continue to explore and investigate alternative uses so as to ensure that the Council achieves best commercial (including hotel use), social and economic value prior to bringing forward the final recommendation to Cabinet for approval as to future use. 

 

Reason for the decision   

 

The effective use of the asset base will help enable the Council to meet its social and financial challenges through asset disposals, generation of capital receipts, savings in costs through the reduction, rationalisation and improved efficiency of the estate and more importantly the generation of value through income generation and the repurposing, redirecting and reuse of land and buildings for housing, schools and other essential service needs.