No disclosures of interest in matters under consideration were received.

(Access to Information Procedure Rules – Part 3B of the Constitution)

Reports and background papers for agenda items may be inspected by contacting the person shown after each agenda item.  Certain reports and background papers may be restricted. 

Any request to remove the restriction on a report or background paper should be made to the relevant Strategic or Assistant Director whose name is shown on the front page of the report. 

If that request is refused, there is a right of appeal to this meeting. 

Please contact the officer shown below in advance of the meeting if you wish to appeal. 

(Sheila Farnhill - 01274 432268)

There were no appeals submitted by the public to review decisions to restrict documents.

Bingley

Previous reference:Minute 78 (2016/17)

A report will be submitted by the Strategic Director, Corporate Services in relation to Priesthorpe Annexe, Mornington Road, Bingley which is held by the Council as Trustees of the former Bingley Science Arts and Technical School (Document “S”).

The report explains that the building has been empty since 2002 and is in a poor state of repair.  The Council has been unable to find a use for it that would promote the objectives of the Trust (for the educational benefit of the people (children and adults) of Bingley) or to provide a revenue budget to maintain it. 

Members will recall that proposals to dispose of the property were discussed at the meeting of the Committee held on 9 March 2017 when it was resolved:

‘(1)       That the Strategic Director, Corporate Services seek representations from the public in respect of the proposed disposal of Priesthorpe Annexe, Mornington Road, Bingley.

(2)       That, having given due consideration to the representations received, the Strategic Director, Corporate Services refer the matter back to this Committee for further consideration or, if no objections are received, progress the disposal of the property and, subject to further legal advice, use the net sale proceeds for the educational benefit of the people of Bingley.’

The Strategic Director’s report details the representations received since the last meeting for Members consideration.

Recommended –

(1)       That the Assistant Director, Estates and Property be requested to treat the Priesthorpe Annexe as an Asset of Community Value and to seek expressions of interest, with any organisation doing so being given until 29 September 2017 to submit a business case balancing educational purposes and best price.

(2)       That the City Solicitor be requested to submit a further report to the November meeting of this Committee that includes a review, by the Assistant Director, Estates and Property, of each of the business cases that have been submitted.

(3)       That the City Solicitor be requested to make an application to the Council’s Project Appraisal Group for a financial contribution to support the cost of putting the building back into the position it was when the school closed in 2002, thus assisting in the disposal of the property.

(4)       That the expressions of interest already received from Bingley Town Council and the Managing Director of Superfood Market be noted and that they be invited to submit a business case as proposed in (1) above.

                                                            (Richard Winter – 01274 434292)

Bingley

Previous reference:Minute 78 (2016/17)

A report was submitted by the Strategic Director, Corporate Services (Document “S”) in relation to Priesthorpe Annexe, Mornington Road, Bingley which was held by the Council as Trustee of the former Bingley Science Arts and Technical School.

The report explained that the building had been empty since 2002 and was in a poor state of repair.  The Council had been unable to find a use for it that would promote the objectives of the Trust (for the educational benefit of the people (children and adults) of Bingley) or to provide a revenue budget to maintain it. 

Members recalled that proposals to dispose of the property had been discussed at the meeting of the Committee held on 9 March 2017, when it had been resolved:

‘(1)       That the Strategic Director, Corporate Services seek representations from the public in respect of the proposed disposal of Priesthorpe Annexe, Mornington Road, Bingley.

(2)       That, having given due consideration to the representations received, the Strategic Director, Corporate Services refer the matter back to this Committee for further consideration or, if no objections are received, progress the disposal of the property and, subject to further legal advice, use the net sale proceeds for the educational benefit of the people of Bingley.’

The Strategic Director’s report detailed the representations received since the last meeting for Members’ consideration. The Strategic Director also reported on a further representation received since the publication of his written report.  Photographs illustrating the current state of the building were tabled for Members’ information.

In response to questions from Members, the Strategic Director clarified that:

·         No approaches had been made to the Planning Department in respect of planning permission for any change of use or re-development of the building/site.

·         The Trustees were entitled to dispose of the property as they saw fit; for example this could include selling it and using the resultant funds to promote the Trust’s objectives.

·         The Trustees would have to assess any offers made on the basis of which would best promote the educational benefit of the people (children and adults) of Bingley.

A Ward Councillor put forward the following views:

·         A six month wait before proceeding was considered to be a long time and would entail the building standing empty through another winter, it was already dilapidated.

·         The main aim was to save the building; it was in a very poor state.

·         It was believed that the best thing to do would be to put the property on the open market on an ‘as is’ basis.

A Member commented that six months was not that long a period if negotiation was necessary with the Planning Department and an end use was assured.  The suggestion that it should perhaps be placed on the open market was accepted. In respect of the use of the proceeds if it was sold, similar schemes operated in other areas of the district where local people could bid for funding for projects or make suggestions for appropriate  ...  view the full minutes text for item 29.