Agenda item

Agenda item

Potton Hall for All

 

To seek approval for the allocation of £863, 000 S106 funding and to transfer of land to the Hall for All community building.

Decision:

1.         On receipt of a transfer notice from the developer, and to the timescale described in the S106 Agreement for land on the east side of Biggleswade Road, Potton, that the receipt of up to 0.52 ha of the community hall land on behalf of Potton Town Council for the purpose defined in the 2014 S106 Agreement for land east of Biggleswade Road, Potton, be approved.

2.      Subject to Potton Town Council and the Hall for All group confirming that the community building is fully funded, allocate the S106 funding which has been secured for the purposes of developing a Community Building from the Land east of Biggleswade Road (£579,132) and 64, Biggleswade Road (£179,859) developments, to Potton Town Council, to part fund the Hall for All community building.

3.      Request Potton Town Council to confirm greater commitment to the realisation of the community building.  Authorise the Directors of Regeneration and Community Services, in consultation with the relevant Executive Members, to make any further decisions regarding the transfer of the Community Hall Land and S106 funding to Potton Town Council. This should include ensuring a restrictive covenant is placed on the land for a community building or its use as public open space.

4.      That the S106 funding to Potton Town Council, upon receipt of evidence showing that full funding has been secured, be approved. This evidence must be provided within 2 years of the last S106 payment being received and the S106 money must be profiled in a Funding Plan to finance the final construction phase of the community building in Potton secured from future developments in Potton; and  

5.      To request that Potton Town Council and the CBC ward Members for Potton confirm to Central Bedfordshire Council that the reallocation of S106 funding detailed in the report to fund the Potton Hall for All community building is in line with their priorities for the use of S106 for the Town.

Minutes:

 

The Executive considered a report from the Executive Member for Regeneration that sought approval to transfer up to 0.52 ha of serviced land owned by the developer for a community building to Potton Town Council as set out in the S106 Agreement for the development of land on the east side of Biggleswade Road.  The report also set out the anticipated costs of the proposed community building and the proposed funding package.

 

The Chairman invited the public speaker to make their statement in accordance with the Public Participation Scheme.

 

Ms Gutteridge, spoke on behalf of the Potton Hall for All charity.  She explained that the S106 agreement monies available would only fund the build of a small Hall which she felt would not be useful nor viable option in the long term. She confirmed that Potton Town Council’s neighbourhood plan included support for the Hall for All project.

 

However, Potton Hall for All was concerned that the capital funding required to build the larger community building was three times greater than the available in the S106 monies. In Ms Gutteridge’s opinion, Potton Town Council could raise sufficient funds in order to build the proposed Hall on their own.  Potton Hall for All could raise the funds, provided that they were named as the lead body for receipt of S106 monies.  This would then guarantee the match funding which was needed for other grants.

 

She asked that the Executive amend recommendation two in the report to allow the S106 funding to be allocated directly to the Potton Hall for All charity upon receipt of evidence showing that the full funding had been secured. 

 

Ms Gutteridge explained that Potton Hall for All have been advised in relation to recommendation three that further conditions on Potton Town Council were advisory and not.  She confirmed that in relation to recommendation five the Town Council, Ward members and Potton Hall for All charity were in full support of the project.

 

In response to questions, the Executive Member for Regeneration responded as follows:-

 

·         the Council was not minded to transfer S106 monies directly to the Potton Hall for All charity but rather to the town council, which was an elected body likely to remain in existence in perpetuity;

·         he confirmed that recommendation three was not a binding request to the Executive, but the Executive Member requested that Potton Town Council confirm a greater commitment to the realisation of the community building by using its precept to make a financial contribution towards the construction of the Hall;

·         that Potton Town Council should be encouraged to give serious consideration to relocating to the Community Hall once it has been constructed; and 

·         confirmed that the Council was supportive of the project.

 

The Executive Member moved an amendment to recommendation two in the report to clarify that the S106 funding will be secured to ‘part fund the Hall for All community building’.  This was duly seconded.

 

The Leader madereference to recommendation three indicating that there was flexibility to make any minor technical adjustments to accommodate various funding requirements.

 

The local Members were each invited to confirm the degree of priority they attached the proposed Hall for All proposal.  Councillor Zerny confirmed that he was supportive of the project but was unwilling for it to be a priority for future 106 funds.  Councillor Gurney confirmed her full support for the project.

 

Reason for decision:  To assist the Potton Hall for All and Potton Town Council with the development of a community building.

 

RESOLVED

 

1.         on receipt of a transfer notice from the developer, and to the timescale described in the S106 Agreement for land on the east side of Biggleswade Road, Potton, that the receipt of up to 0.52 ha of the community hall land on behalf of Potton Town Council for the purpose defined in the 2014 S106 Agreement for land east of Biggleswade Road, Potton, be approved;

 

2.         subject to Potton Town Council and the Hall for All group confirming that the community building was fully funded, allocate the S106 funding which had been secured for the purposes of developing a Community Building from the Land east of Biggleswade Road (£579,132) and 64, Biggleswade Road (£179, 859) developments, to Potton Town Council, to part fund the Hall for All community building;

 

3.      request Potton Town Council to confirm greater commitment to the realisation of the community building.  Authorise the Directors of Regeneration and Community Services, in consultation with the relevant Executive Members, to make any further decisions regarding the transfer of the Community Hall Land and S106 funding to Potton Town Council. This should include ensuring a restrictive covenant was placed on the land for a community building or use as public open space; and

 

4.      that the S106 funding to Potton Town Council, upon receipt of evidence showing the full funding had been secured, be approved. This evidence must be provided within 2 years of the last S106 payment being received and the S106 money must be profiled in a Funding Plan to fund the final construction phase of the community building. This shall also apply to any further S106 funding secured for the purposes of the community building in Potton secured from future developments in Potton; and

 

5.         To request that Potton Town Council and the CBC ward Members for Potton confirm to Central Bedfordshire Council that the reallocation of S106 funding detailed in the report to fund the Potton Hall for All community building is in line with their priorities for the use of S106 for the Town.

 

 

The decision was unanimous.

Supporting documents: