Agenda item

This report updates the committee on the marking of the Barham Park Lounge, seeks approval to vary the decision made regard the marketing of the Card Room and for the procurement of consultant to draw up a Maintenance Profile Plan for the envelope of the buildings, details the results of the external valuation determining the market rent for the Children’s Centre and outlines the progress achieved with respect to leasing the Snooker and Billiard Rooms.

i) That it be noted that the marketing process for Unit 4, the Barham Park Lounge, was underway and the deadline for receipt of tenders was Friday 10 July 2015.

ii) That Unit 1, the Card Room, be offered to Third Sector Organisations utilising Brent Council’s Community Asset Transfer Policy.

iii) That the decision regarding approval of the procurement of a consultant to draw up a Maintenance Profile Plan be deferred to the next meeting of the committee.

iv) That the decision to seek Charity Commission approval to let Unit 8, the Children’s Centre, at a rent of £11,300 for a term of 5 years with consent to an organisation to continue the Children’s Centre service, be deferred to the next meeting of the committee.

v) That the decision to proceed to complete the approved letting of Unit 2, the Snooker and Billiard Rooms, to the Barham Part Veterans’ (Wembley) be deferred to the next meeting of the committee.

The Chair informed the meeting that due to unforeseen circumstances, Richard Barrett (Operational Director, Property and Projects) was unable to attend the meeting. It was noted that as Property Adviser to the Trust, his input was likely to be necessary with regard to a number of the proposals before the committee regarding the Barham Park complex of buildings.

In discussing the report, members were pleased to note that the marketing process for Unit 4, the Barham Park Lounge, had been targeted locally. A member of the public expressed a concern that part of the criteria required an organisation to provide three years worth of audited accounts; it was felt that this disadvantaged smaller charities which were only required to submit their accounts to the charity commission and it was suggested that the criteria be amended accordingly. Arnold Meagher (Principal Housing and Litigation Lawyer) explained that it would not be possible to amend the criteria without restarting the tender process. The committee highlighted that the marketing process was already underway; however agreed that officers should take this issue under consideration for any future marketing processes.

The Chair drew the committee’s attention to the proposal to utilise Brent Council’s Community Asset Transfer Policy with regard to Unit 1, the Card Room. Members noted that the Trust had previously agreed to proceed with a marketing process with a specific emphasis on community use. Though the Trust was not bound by the council’s policy, employing this new approach could represent a better way forward for the trust in securing community use of the unit. 

The committee noted that further information was required with respect to the proposals regarding the maintenance profile plan for the complex of buildings; the valuation of Unit 8, the Children’s Centre; and the letting of Unit 2, the Snooker and Billiard Rooms, to the Barham Park Veterans’ (Wembley). Members therefore agreed to defer consideration of these decisions to the next meeting of the committee. In doing so, members took note of the concern raised by a member of the public regarding the basis on which current service charges were decided in light of the proposal to obtain a maintenance profile plan. Members of the committee also highlighted that concerns had been raised by a member of the public regarding accessibility of the membership of the Barham  Park Veterans’ Club (Wembley) which required further investigation and that the committee had not had sight of the diversity questionnaire. 

RESOLVED:

i) That it be noted that the marketing process for Unit 4, the Barham Park Lounge, was underway and the deadline for receipt of tenders was Friday 10 July 2015.

ii) That Unit 1, the Card Room, be offered to Third Sector Organisations utilising Brent Council’s Community Asset Transfer Policy.

iii) That the decision regarding approval of the procurement of a consultant to draw up a Maintenance Profile Plan be deferred to the next meeting of the committee.

iv) That the decision to seek Charity Commission approval to let Unit 8, the Children’s Centre, at a rent of £11,300 for a term of 5 years with consent to an organisation to continue the Children’s Centre service, be deferred to the next meeting of the committee.

v) That the decision to proceed to complete the approved letting of Unit 2, the Snooker and Billiard Rooms, to the Barham Park Veterans’ (Wembley) be deferred to the next meeting of the committee.