Minutes:
The Committee considered the undernoted report:
“1 Key Issues
1.1 The purpose of this report is to facilitate Committee consideration of the proposed extension of existing lease arrangements for the following premises:
- Benview/Ballysillan Play Centre
- Loop River Play Centre
- BELB/Clarawood Community Association –
Anne Napier Centre
- Walkway Community Association
- Percy street Community Centre
2. Benview/Ballysillan Play centre
2.1 Key issues including any relevant background information:
Community Services has, since June 1997, had a Licence Agreement with Benview/Ballysillan Tenant’s Association to use part of the community owned Benview Community Centre to run a BCC play centre. We are seeking to renew this Licence Agreement for a further 12 months from the 1st July 2011
2.2 Resource Implications:
This licence has operated with the council paying a rental amount to the Tenants Association of £4,025.56 (2010/11) for partial use of their facility. This rental will be met from within existing budgets.
2.3 Equality and Good Relations Considerations:
There are no equality or Good Relations considerations.
2.4 Recommendation:
It is recommended that the Licence agreement is renewed for a further 12 months subject to a rent of £4,025.56 per annum. This acquisition will be subject to the approval of the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee in accordance with Standing Orders 46 and incorporation of appropriate terms as confirmed/agreed by council’s Legal Services.
2.5 Decision tracker
CDM to liaise with Director of Property and Projects with a view to bringing a report to the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee in due course.
3. Loop River Play Centre
3.1 Key issues including any relevant background information:
In February 2007 the Community and Recreation committee approved the use of the Scout Association’s Courtney Hall, situated on the Cregagh Road, as alternative accommodation for the Loop River play centre. Previously the play centre was located in the Belfast City Council Loop River park but this was sold for housing development. The play centre has full use of the building during the day from Monday to Friday and has been holding over in occupation since expiry of a renewal in August 2010 continuing to pay £190.00 per week as originally agreed in 2007.
3.2 Resource Implications:
This licence has operated with the council paying a rental amount to the Scout Association of £190.00 per week which will be met from within existing budgets.
3.3 Equality and Good Relations Considerations:
There are no equality or Good Relations considerations.
3.4 Recommendation:
It is recommended that the Licence agreement is renewed for a further period of 18 months from 1 July 2011 again at a cost of £190.00 per week. This acquisition will be subject to the approval of the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee in accordance with Standing Orders 46 and incorporation of appropriate terms as confirmed/agreed by council’s Legal Services.
3.5 Decision Tracker
CDM to liaise with Director of Property and Projects with a view to bringing a report to the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee in due course.
4. BELB/Clarawood Community Association –
Anne Napier Centre
4.1 Key issues including any relevant background information:
In October 2006 the Community and Recreation committee agreed
to BCC leasing the Anne Napier
centre on the Clarawood Estate from the
BELB and then to sub-let the
premises to Clarawood Community Association, with a further update being given in February 2007. This lease/sub lease arrangement was requested by BELB and agreed because of historical difficulties around arrangements with the previous community group tenant. BELB therefore asked that Council facilitate the development of a new organisations which would ensure ongoing service provision and to mitigate against further risk asked that Council become the tenant and sub lease to the group.
Due to difficulties in agreeing the lease arrangements with the BELB, the leases were not in place until 1st July 2009 and covered a two year period until 30 June 2011. Over the last two years this arrangement has enabled the Clarawood C.A. to provide community development support to the people of the Clarawood estate.
The BELB have indicated they wish to continue this partnership arrangement and are content for the current Lease/sub lease to continue for a further term.
At the end of each financial year BELB provide BCC with the costs relating to the running of the Anne Napier centre. A delay in BCC receiving timely information for 2010/11 has created difficulties in paying BELB for the 2010/11 utility costs with these costs still being outstanding. Discussions with the BELB have taken place in order to resolve this purely procedural issue for future years.
4.2 Resource Implications
There are no resource implications in the first year as these will be met from within existing budgets with the costs relating to the BELB/BCC lease being met from the Revenue grant allocation to the Clarawood C.A. The costs for 2012/13 will be subject to a successful revenue support application from Clarawood C.A.
4.3 Equality and Good Relations Considerations:
There are no equality or Good Relations considerations.
4.4 Recommendation
It is recommended that the lease arrangement relating to the Anne Napier Centre between the BELB and BCC and the sub lease arrangements between BCC and Clarawood Community Association are renewed for a further 2 years from the 1st July 2011 subject to the revenue grant allocation to the Clarawood Community Association being sufficient to meet all related costs.
4.5 Decision Tracker
CDM to liaise with Director of Property and Projects with a view to bringing a report to the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee in due course.
5 Walkway Community Association
5.1 Key issues including any relevant background information:
Walkway Community Association has, since November 1995, leased the site covering 1-9 Finvoy Street from the council and on which they have located their Community Centre. The current rent is £375.00 per annum. Number 1 Finvoy Street is owned by DRD Roads Service with numbers 3,5,7 & 9 Finvoy Street owned by the council.
The site is located on the proposed route of the Connesbank Link road scheme as provided in the Belfast Metropolitan Transport plan 2015 and the site may be needed if this development goes ahead. It can be noted that the route of this scheme has been developed as the Comber Greenway. DRD have been contacted by our Legal Services and they have confirmed that DRD have no objection to the renewal of the council’s lease for 1 Finvoy Street for a further 5 years subject to a rent of £1 if demanded in order to facilitate council’s subsequent Lease to Walkway Community Association.
5.2 Resource Implications:
There are no resource implications for council with Walkway having agreed to the revised rent of £475.00 per annum and the Lease from DRD is subject to a nominal amount.
5.3 Equality and Good Relations Considerations:
There are no Equality or Good Relations considerations.
5.4 Recommendation:
It is recommended that the Lease for 1-9 Finvoy Street be renewed for a further 5 years from the 5th November 2010 at a revised rent of £475.00 per annum. It is also recommended that council renew the Lease with DRD for a similar period of 5 years, subject to a nominal rent. Both this acquisition from DRD and subsequent disposal to Walkway Community Association will be subject to the approval of the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee in accordance with Standing Orders 46 and incorporation of appropriate terms as confirmed/agreed by council’s Legal Services.
5.5 Decision tracker
CDM to liaise with Director of Property and Projects with a view to bringing a report to the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee in due course.
6. Percy Street Lease
6.1 Key issues including any relevant background information
In 1982 the Trustees of the Lower Shankill Group Welfare Committee were granted a month to month Licence to occupy the Percy Street Community Centre at a rent of £221.36. This agreement is covered by the committee decision of 7th March 2006 to include the rental cost of independently managed premises leased from council within the annual Council grant.
At present the licence only contains 12 clauses and is not very comprehensive. To address this, the centre has been approached and has agreed in principle to a revision of this licence.
Property and Projects have indicated that, from an estate management view, the current licence should be replaced with a lease similar to other independently managed sites such as Grosvenor and Shaftsbury Recreation Centres at a revised rent that reflects the use of these premises. This revised rent has been assessed as being £1,550.00
6.2 Resource Implications
As the committee decision of the 7 March 2006 would apply there would be no resource implications, in that whilst the re assessment of the rent proposes an increase, this would be included within the annual Council grant and deducted before the grant is released.
6.3 Equality and Good Relations Considerations
A revision of the licence and a change to a lease agreement would bring the agreement in line with other similar BCC Independently Managed lease agreements. With appropriate timeframe’s and exit clauses in place should they ever need to be implemented.
6.4 Recommendation
It is recommended that the Licence Agreement with the Lower Shankill Group Welfare Committee in respect of the Percy Street Community Centre is changed to a lease agreement similar to those in place with other Independently Managed Centres to include the appropriate timeframes and exit clauses should they ever need to be implemented.
The Committee adopted the recommendation.