Agenda item - PROPOSED MARKETING AND LEASEHOLD DISPOSAL OF WHITEWEBBS PARK GOLF COURSE

Agenda item

PROPOSED MARKETING AND LEASEHOLD DISPOSAL OF WHITEWEBBS PARK GOLF COURSE

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.

 

Minutes:

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. The original Portfolio decision was therefore agreed.

 

Councillor David-Sanders said he would like it noted that he voted against the decision because he thought that this should have been undertaken once the new Property Strategy was agreed.

 

DATES OF FUTURE MEETINGS

 

NOTED the dates of future meetings as follows:

Call-In Meetings

·         Tuesday 23 April 2019

·         Wednesday 1 May 2019

Supporting documents: