Agenda item

Further to Minute 6 of the meeting held on 26 November 2018, consideration was given to a report providing an update of activities undertaken since that meeting, advising of the independent valuation of the Trust and Council Land and of the results of a consultation exercise in relation to the land swap proposal, and seeking approval for a further phase of works by the developer under a Licence to stabilise the former DSO building.

The Council had proposed a land swap arrangement and the areas of land at High Crompton Park under the control of the Council and the Trust respectively were indicated on a plan attached at Appendix 2 to the submitted report which further highlighted the parcels of land under consideration for the swap arrangement.  The Committee was advised of the independent valuation of the Trust and Council land proposed to be swapped that had been undertaken by Breakey and Nuttall, a copy of which was available for Members’ inspection at the meeting.  The valuation indicated an opportunity for the Trust to increase the value of its assets by £1,000 as a result of the proposed land swap.

With regard to consultation on the proposal, a formal notice was published in the Manchester Evening News on 5^th March 2019 under section 121(2) of the Charities Act 2011. Public notices had been placed in the park notice boards as part of a formal public consultation process to consider whether to do nothing or to proceed with the proposed land swap.  The Council had received no responses in respect of either exercise.

The Committee was further asked to note the dilapidated state of the former DSO building and that the developer was seeking to undertake a further phase of works to continue to stabilise the building and ensure that the internal accommodation is safe.

The Committee considered options in light of the outcomes of the valuation exercise and the consultation process and whether it would be in the best interests of the charitable trust to proceed with the disposal of the site.  The Committee could determine to do nothing or to proceed by instructing Officers to request an Order from the Charity Commission for the disposal of the charitable land.  With regard to works to the former DSO building, the Committee needed to consider the condition of the building and the risks associated with that condition as outlined in the submitted report. 

RESOLVED that (1) the findings of the independent valuation which has confirmed the value of the parcels of land subject to the proposed land swap, and that the land offered to the Trust is of a greater value than the subject land, be noted;

(2) the results of the public advertisement under Section 121 Charities Act be noted;

(3) Officers be instructed to make an application to the Charity Commission for an Order for the disposal of the charity land by means of a land swap with a connected person (the Council);

(4) a further phase of works to the former DSO building by means of a licence for works be approved.