Decision details

1.            That approval be given for the Council to take such actions as are necessary to wind up the LLP and to establish a new company, with the Council becoming a shareholder in the New Company alongside Stanhope Plc.

2.            That delegated approval be granted to the Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Regeneration, in conjunction with the Director for Planning and Growth to enable the appointment of the Council’s directors to the New Company and any other decision that is required so as to effect the foregoing recommendations, including the approval of any amendments to existing contracts, termination of existing contracts and approval of new contracts required to effect the foregoing.

3.            That the revised SSDP ESH, as set out at Appendix 1 of the exempt report on the exempt Cabinet agenda, be approved so they can be adopted by the LLP (or, if applicable, the New Company).

4.            That approval for the appointment by the Council (as a member or shareholder of the JV) of an RP partner by the JV be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Regeneration in conjunction with the Director for Planning and Growth and the Lead Directors of Housing.

5.            That approval be given for the Council to directly undertake the demolition of ESH.

6.            That approval be given to undertake a procurement exercise to appoint a demolition contractor to undertake the demolition of ESH.

7.            That approval for the appointment of the demolition contractor and any consultant appointments required in respect of the demolition of ESH be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Regeneration in conjunction with the Director for Planning and Growth.

8.            That approval be given to the Council providing a contractual obligation to reimburse the JV its costs (capped at £2m for ESH and £2.5m for WMC) for fees incurred in achieving planning consent in the unlikely event that the opportunity sites are not redeveloped. In this scenario the land will be returned to the Council free from adverse rights and with detailed planning consent.

9.            That approval be given for the Council to incur additional consultancy fees for ongoing legal and professional advice as set out below:

Legal Advice                               £100,000

Valuation Advice                         £  75,000

Financial Advice                         £  10,000

Other Professional Advice          £  15,000

As costs incidental to the disposal of assets, these may be offset against capital receipts that ensue.

10.         That approval to incur any additional fees in relation to the Council meeting its obligations under the terms of the conditional JV agreement be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Regeneration, in conjunction with the Director for Planning and Growth and the Lead Directors of Housing as Edith Summerskill House is designated as Housing Land.

11.         To note that if negotiations with remaining leaseholders at ESH prove unsuccessful a compulsory purchase order (CPO) will be required to facilitate development.