SH.27/18
Members proceeded to
consider an exempt report that provided an update on the Batson
Workshops project and sought a clear direction of travel from the
Board.
In discussion, some
Members felt that the Board had been given insufficient time (and
detailed information) to be able to reach an informed position on
such an important matter at this meeting and it was therefore
PROPOSED and SECONDED
that:-
‘A
Board Workshop on the project be convened before an additional
Harbour Board meeting be convened to formally consider this matter
further.’
In discussion on this
motion, officers advised that the project timescale was already
challenging and any potential time delay would result in the
anticipated savings from the linking of the two projects not being
realised.
(At 4.40pm
and, at the request of the proposer and seconder of the motion, the
meeting was formally adjourned before it was reconvened at
4.50pm).
Once reconvened, the
proposer withdrew his motion but wished to make the following
points:
-
Whilst recognising that the employment units were
ultimately a commercial decision for the Council, the Member asked
that the comments made during the discussion by the Head of Assets
Practice be formally recorded whereby:
o
50% of the costs of the employment units was to be
funded through Section 106 monies; and
o
the average rental cost per unit would be affordable
for local businesses, but at a market rate (e.g. equating to
£5,000 per annum (or in the region of £8 per square
foot));
-
It was his wish to PROPOSE an
amendment to the wording of recommendation 2 in the presented
agenda report to read as follows:-
‘That the Board RECOMMEND to the Council to commit
to the repayment of the cost of the development (capped at
£800,000) which is capped at £36,000 expenditure per
year for the lifetime of the loan.’
This
amendment was subsequently SECONDED and when put to
the vote was declared CARRIED.
-
The Member also PROPOSED an
additional recommendation to those listed in the presented agenda
report that read as follows:-
‘request that a formal update on the Batson
project be scheduled on to the agenda for the next Board meeting on
1 April 2019 and, in the meantime, ask that Council Officers
provide the Board with a copy of the cost plan from which the
Budget was derived.’
This addition was subsequently SECONDED and
when put to the vote was declared CARRIED.
It was then:
RESOLVED
That the Board:
1.
approve the project to develop a new Workshop at
Batson Quay for the sole use of the Harbour Authority;
2.
RECOMMEND to the
Council to commit to the repayment of the cost of the development
(capped at £800,000) which is capped at £36,000
expenditure per year for the lifetime of the loan;
3.
note that, in the event of the Board subsequently
changing its mind, any abortive costs associated with the projects
would need to be funded by the Harbour Authority;
4. ...
view the full minutes text for item SHB.27/18