Issue - meetings

Community Asset Transfer - Woodchurch Leisure Centre

Meeting: 21/11/2023 - Policy and Resources Committee (Item 76)

76 COMMUNITY ASSET TRANSFER - BRACKENWOOD GOLF COURSE WOODCHURCH LEISURE CENTRE pdf icon PDF 405 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Director of Finance presented the report, which considered, a variation of the Heads of Terms for the transfer of Brackenwood Golf Course to Brackenwood Community Golf Limited to enable the transfer to progress and a decision on the transfer of Woodchurch Leisure Centre. Members agreed to consider the two recommendations separately.

 

Brackenwood

 

Members were informed that more work had been undertaken by Brackenwood Community Golf Limited who advised that they could only provide two-full size pitches, changing facilities and car parking, without impacting significantly on the operation of the 18-hole golf course. Prevision of the 2 mini-5-a-side pitches was still possible.

 

Council officers concurred with this view and advised Members that space for the other two full-sized pitches could be accommodated on other sites and therefore, this will not impact on the Council’s Brown Field First Strategy as set out in the Local Plan. It was therefore recommended that the Heads of Terms is varied from four full-size playing pitches to two full-sized playing pitches (11-a-side). This would enable the transfer to progress.

 

Resolved – that the Heads of Terms for transferring Brackenwood Golf Course to Brackenwood Community Golf Limited be varied to two full-sized playing pitches (11-a-side), rather than four full-sized pitches to enable the transfer to progress.

 

Woodchurch

 

Members advised they wished to discuss the exempt items in a closed session and moved the exemption.

It was therefore, resolved - That, under section 100 (A) (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined by paragraph 3 of Part I of Schedule 12A (as amended) to that Act. The Public Interest test has been applied and favours exclusion.

Members agreed during the exempt session, that the resolution would be published to allow members of the public to view the decision.

 

On a motion by Councillor Janette Williamson, Seconded by Councillor Paul Stuart it was,

 

Resolved (14:0, 1 abstention) – that,

 

1. Woodchurch Leisure Centre is not transferred to Woodchurch Wellbeing.

 

2. The Director of Finance be authorised to procure the demolition of Woodchurch Leisure Centre and to accept the most economically advantageous tender provided he is satisfied that the cost can be met within the Council’s budget.

 

3. That the Director of Neighbourhoods be requested to,

 

a.  undertake a comprehensive review of future opportunities for the use of the Woodchurch Leisure centre site in the context of the wider Leisure Strategy Review and

 

b. Make sure that the leisure review addresses the leisure needs of the Woodchurch residents including swimming.