Agenda item

The Chairman introduced the item and welcomed the progress made on bringing the Daws Lane community facility further forward. He also confirmed a minor amendment to the recommendations requiring removal of the brackets around the words ‘the Head of Estates’.

During the discussion Members were given assurances that the Charitable status of the organisation NW7 Hub who were to run the centre, was in hand, the lease status was sufficiently certain to enable fundraising activities to be unencumbered, and NW7 would have sufficient independence over the design and build plans of the building within the constraints of planning and Open Space policy considerations.

Members voted unanimously in favour of the recommendations.

It was RESOLVED:

1.    That, subject to the NW7 Hub obtaining all relevant planning consents, and other statutory consents being granted, the Committee approved in-principle that the Council shall exchange an agreement for lease and development agreement and grant a lease to the NW7 Hub on the following basis:

a.    A term of 125 years at market rent subject to a Community Benefit Assessment Tool subsidy

b.    The lease granted shall fall outside the protection provisions of section 24 to 28 of the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954 part 2 and in accordance with the draft Heads of Terms as detailed in Appendix B.

c.    That in the event NW7 Hub fail to undertake a meaningful start (defined as a material operation as per the Town and Country Planning Act) on site within a three year time frame, from the date of receipt the formal notice to dispose of the property, the site will revert to the Council’s control. 

d.    That, in the event that works are not completed by the 1st January 2022, the site will revert to the Council’s control.

e.    NW7 Hub are formally constituted into a Charitable Company Limited by Guarantee and are a registered charity. 

f.     That a separate management agreement between NW7 Hub and LBB must be agreed if a partnership library element is included in the proposals.

2.    That authority to settle final detailed Heads of Terms, and development agreement and lease was delegated to the London Borough of Barnet, Head of Estates.

3.    That authority was delegated to the Head of Estates to consider any responses received to the advertising of the proposal to let the property and the terms of any consent given by the Secretary of State, and to decide whether to progress the development agreement and lease in the light of the same.

4.    That authority was delegated to the Head of Estates to evaluate any bids received from community interest groups for the property and to decide whether to refer them to the Assets Growth and Regeneration Committee or whether to proceed with the proposed lease to NW7 Hub.

5.    That, subject to agreeing the Heads of Terms, as detailed herein, the development agreement and lease will be authorised in accordance with the Management of Assets, Property and Land Rules.

6.    The Council will fund the capital works (if required for) provision of a Partnership Library at 80 Daws Lane up to a total of £1 million (index linked) dependant on final design.