Agenda and minutes

The Chair, Councillor Levy welcomed all attendees to the meeting.

Apologies had been received from Councillor Susan Erbil, Councillor Ahmet Oykener (Cabinet Member Property and Assets), Mark Bradbury and Wesley Pemberton.

Members of the Council are invited to identify any disclosable pecuniary, other pecuniary or non-pecuniary interests relevant to the items on the agenda.

There were no declarations of interest.

To receive and consider a report from the Director of Law and Governance outlining details of a call-in received on the Portfolio Decision taken on Proposed Marketing and Leasehold Disposal of Whitewebbs Park Golf Course (Report No. 210).

The decision that has been called in was a Portfolio Decision taken on 22 March 2019 and included on the Publication of Decision List No: 57/18-19 (List Ref:1/57/18-19) issued on 22 March 2019.

It is proposed that consideration of the call-in be structured as follows:

· Brief outline of the reasons for the call-in by representative (s) of the members who   have called in the decision

· Response to the reasons provided for the Call-in by a Cabinet Member responsible for taking the decision

· Debate by Overview and Scrutiny Committee and agreement of action to be taken

Please also see the Part 2 agenda.

The Committee received a report from the Director of Law and Governance outlining details of a call-in received on the Portfolio decision taken on -Proposed marketing and leasehold disposal of Whitewebbs Park Golf Course (Report No:210).

NOTED that this report was considered in conjunction with the information in the part 2 agenda.

Councillor Levy reminded everyone that discussion on the call-in should be about the specific reason for call-in given in the papers and response to this.  He asked Councillor Laban if Overview and Scrutiny Committee were being asked to revert the decision taken by the Cabinet Member for Property and Assets and Councillor Laban gave confirmation to this.

All the discussion on the item took place in the part 2 section of the meeting.

To agree the minutes of the meeting held on the 19 March 2019.

agreed the minutes of the meeting held on 19 March 2019.

To consider, if necessary, passing a resolution under Section 100A (4) of the

Local Government Act 1972 excluding the press and public from the meeting

for the item of business listed in Part 2 of the agenda on the grounds that it

will involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in those

paragraphs of Part 1 Schedule 12A to the Act (as amended by the Local

Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006), as are listed on

the agenda (Members are asked to refer to the Part 2 agenda).

Resolved in accordance with the principles of Section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972 to exclude the press and public from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information a defined in paragraph 3 of the Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act (as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006.

Attached for consideration as part of the Call-in on this item, is the Part 2

report.

The report should be read in conjunction with the report attached at Appendix

1 to the Call-In report on the Part 1 agenda.

(This document contains exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3

(information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular

person (including the authority holding that information) of Schedule 12A to

the Local Government Act 1972 as amended).

Please see the Part 1 agenda.

The Committee received the information provided on the Proposed Marketing and Leasehold Disposal of Whitewebbs Park Golf Course, which had been included in the part 2 section of the agenda.

NOTED

The information was considered in conjunction with the report on the part 1 agenda.

The Chair invited Councillor Laban to outline the reason for call-in.

Councillor Laban referred to the Delegated Authority Report which requested that a more flexible approach be taken to marketing and agreeing the property transaction of Whitewebbs Golf Course to optimise the delivery of the Council’s wider corporate objectives.  The reason given for call-in was that the report failed to go into any detail as to why the current business model is failing.

Councillor Laban highlighted the following:

·         The report did not give details of the type of interest that is expected for maximising the level of commercial interest in Whitewebbs Park Golf Course.

·         No reference is made in the report to Whitewebbs Park being in the heart of the Green Belt area which is greatly valued by Enfield residents.

·         If losses had been made over previous years it was questioned why efforts had not been made sooner to improve the situation.

The responses given were as follows:

·         Doug Wilkinson said details relating to this property asset had been included in a previous report, this was the second report on this issue.

·         The Council had improved marketing and reduced costs. All efforts had been made to improve finances, but the model was failing.

·         One reason the model was failing may be due to licensing restrictions.

Other points discussed included:

·         This was a great community asset.

·         Although numbers appeared to be declining a reduced loss was shown for 2018/19.

·         Whether money should have been invested to improve facilities.  It was stated that the Council was becoming more commercially focused, as it needed to ensure an enterprise was financially viable.

·         A leisure related facility/ opportunity is anticipated for consideration. A lease would be limited to twenty-five years. No development to be considered if not planning compliant.

·         The report shows that attempts had been made in the past to improve finances and this decision was an attempt to make the asset an economically viable one.

·         Consultation would include ‘Friends of Parks Group’

Following the discussion and noting the answers given, Councillor Laban said she would be happy for the decision to stand.

Overview & Scrutiny Committee considered the reason provided for the call-in and responses provided.   Having considered the information provided the Committee agreed to confirm the original Portfolio decision:

2.1 Agrees to the proposed marketing and disposal process described within the report, for Whitewebbs Park Golf Course.

2.2 Delegates the authority to the Director of Property and Economy to instruct the Director of Law and Governance to draw up legal agreements for a suitable property transaction for Whitewebbs Park Golf Course.

2.3-2.4 Recommendations detailed in the Part 2 report

Councillors Levy, Akpinar, Aramaz and Needs voted in favour of the above decision. Councillors David-Sanders and Smith voted against.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 1069.