The Chair welcomed Ian Brand, to give an update on the Strategic Asset Review (SAR) in relation to Liscard and Seacombe.

Ian informed the forum that the SAR was approved in January 2009 and covered the following:

Library closures and creation of Neighbourhood Centres – this decision was revoked, due to national review of libraries and no outcome has been received on this. This led to Seacombe Library remaining open, Seacombe One Stop Shop not being relocated and for maintenance of centres being looked at.

• Community Asset Transfer – this programme of work was still going ahead, and discussions were taking place with the Joint Management Committees for Liscard and Grosvenor. Existing community groups using buildings were being worked with and expressions of interest had been received form over 18 groups, and policies are available on the Council website re: asset transfer. Liscard was identified in a programme called Advancing Assets, as part of a pilot project prior to SAR.

• Disposal of Assets – one property within the forum area, 16/18 Rullerton Road, was included and £1.4m of capital receipts has been raised to date. The depot at Dock Road was no longer used by the Council, but still used by partners so the timing of the disposal of this is still being considered. The Old Court House in Manor Road was still being used as an admin building, and will be subject to a wider office accommodation project.

• Office Rationalisation – the Council was working to develop as comprehensive rationalisation programme and long-term plan, including improvement to Information Technology (IT) provision and infrastructure. A report was submitted to Cabinet in January looking at changes that need to happen re: IT. A business case was to be set up to look at the office rationalisation.

The Chair thanked Ian for his update and the following questions / issues were raised:

1.  Dave Hale – what was the last use of 16/18 Rullerton Road and where has the service provision moved to?

A. Father Leon Ostaszewski confirmed that it had been used for the storage of archives and that this has been moved to Cheshire Lines basement.

2.  The Chair - what was happening with the Old Court House?

A. Ian confirmed that it had been identified for disposal and that work was taking place to relocate the staff within the building, prior to its disposal.

3.  Carole Thomas – where will the staff at the Old Manor House be relocated to, was the building listed and would it be protected from demolition?

A. Ian Brand confirmed that it was not known where the staff will be relocated, but that the Council has no intention to demolish the building, and that it has potential to be converted for a modern use. Father Leon Ostaszewski added that the building was not listed.

The Chair requested that Ian provide a further update on this.

4.  Councillor Denis Knowles – are the community centres in limbo re: maintenance work due to SAR, as Seacombe community centre could not run its youth club due to boiler needing repairing?

A. Ian Brand confirmed that there were different arrangements in place for community centres. Health and Safety issues were being addressed to keep the centres healthy, running and safe. Discussions with existing users were in the early stages, and group sustainability needs to be looked at.

Councillor Adrian Jones added that the issue of the boiler had been raised at a meeting of the club and that the Council was looking into this.

5.  Wendy Sheen – if the centre was warm enough to hold a meeting in why couldn’t the children use it?

A. Councillor Jones - confirmed that there were two boilers at the centre and that only one of them was not working. The use of the centre was down to the management committee, but that the room used to hold the meeting was the luncheon club area whereas the children meet in the large hall.

The Chair added that the boiler was the Council’s responsibility as the owner of the building.

Ian Brand agreed to report back on this

Minute Decision:

Resolved that: -  

(i) Ian Brand be thanked for his update

(ii) Ian Brand to provide an update to forum on developments re: SAR and look into issue re: boiler at Seacombe CC and report back on this