Issue - meetings

RECOMMENDED that Council: -

(a)           notes the decision of the Cabinet meeting held 1 October 2025 and Council Meeting held 14 October 2025;

(b)           approves the Heads of Terms (HOTs) recommended by officers for the Leasehold disposal of two parcels of land at Kings Park to AFC Bournemouth (Option C); and

(c)           instructs BCP officers to agree the recommended HOTs with AFC Bournemouth, instruct BCP’s legal team accordingly and progress the two leases to completion.

[PLEASE NOTE: Should the Council wish to discuss the detail of the confidential appendices at Appendix A-G the meeting will be required to move into Confidential (Exempt) Session].

The Portfolio Holder for Finance presented the report on the Vitality Stadium land – draft heads of terms and outlined the recommendations as set out on the agenda.

RESOLVED that Council: -

(a)           noted the decision of the Cabinet meeting held 1 October 2025 and Council Meeting held 14 October 2025;

(b)           approved the Heads of Terms (HOTs) recommended by officers for the Leasehold disposal of two parcels of land at Kings Park to AFC Bournemouth (Option C); and

(c)           instructed BCP officers to agree the recommended HOTs with AFC Bournemouth, instruct BCP’s legal team accordingly and progress the two leases to completion.

Voting: For:51, Against:0, Abstentions:3

AFC Bournemouth approached BCP Council in relation to their plans to expand Vitality Stadium at Kings Park.

On 1 October 2025 and on 14 October 2025, Cabinet and Council respectively approved the recommendations that officers negotiate Heads of Terms in relation to Option C (two leases) and then return to Cabinet and Council for a decision relating to those Heads of Terms.  

This report presents the negotiated Heads of Terms and associated values (agreed in principle, without prejudice and subject to contract and Council approval) agreed with AFC Bournemouth and recommends that they are accepted. This report requests authority for officers to instruct BCP’s property legal team accordingly and progress the leases to completion.

The information in the appendices is commercially sensitive. It is requested that the appendices are treated confidentially. 

The Portfolio Holder for Finance presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'C' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

Cabinet was advised that AFC Bournemouth had approached BCP Council in relation to their plans to expand Vitality Stadium at Kings Park, and that on 1 October 2025 and on 14 October 2025, Cabinet and Council respectively approved the recommendations that officers negotiate Heads of Terms in relation to Option C (two leases) and then return to Cabinet and Council for a decision relating to those Heads of Terms.  

Cabinet was informed that the report presented the negotiated Heads of Terms and associated values (agreed in principle, without prejudice and subject to contract and Council approval) agreed with AFC Bournemouth and recommended that they are accepted.

In addition, Cabinet was advised that the report requested authority for officers to instruct BCP’s property legal team accordingly and progress the leases to completion.

RECOMMENDED that Council: -

(a)            notes the decision of the Cabinet meeting held 1 October 2025 and Council Meeting held 14 October 2025;

(b)           approves the Heads of Terms (HOTs) recommended by officers for the Leasehold disposal of two parcels of land at Kings Park to AFC Bournemouth (Option C); and

(c)            instructs BCP officers to agree the recommended HOTs with AFC Bournemouth, instruct BCP’s legal team accordingly and progress the two leases to completion.

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Finance

Reason

This report sets out the heads of terms for the re gearing of existing agreements between BCP Council and AFC Bournemouth at Kings Park to enable expansion of the Vitality Stadium. The regear will result in two leases, the terms of which reflect Best Consideration, in line with BCP Councils constitution and financial regulations.

By approving these recommendations, it will also:

- Enable existing leases to be regeared onto more appropriate terms

- allow this significant investment to be made into the area, improving the area for fans and park visitors

- and help AFC Bournemouth achieve compliance with Premier League regulations

The Portfolio Holder for Finance presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'C' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

Cabinet was advised that AFC Bournemouth had approached BCP Council in relation to their plans to expand Vitality Stadium at Kings Park, and that on 1 October 2025 and on 14 October 2025, Cabinet and Council respectively approved the recommendations that officers negotiate Heads of Terms in relation to Option C (two leases) and then return to Cabinet and Council for a decision relating to those Heads of Terms.  

Cabinet was informed that the report presented the negotiated Heads of Terms and associated values (agreed in principle, without prejudice and subject to contract and Council approval) agreed with AFC Bournemouth and recommended that they are accepted.

In addition, Cabinet was advised that the report requested authority for officers to instruct BCP’s property legal team accordingly and progress the leases to completion.

RECOMMENDED that Council: -

(a)            notes the decision of the Cabinet meeting held 1 October 2025 and Council Meeting held 14 October 2025;

(b)           approves the Heads of Terms (HOTs) recommended by officers for the Leasehold disposal of two parcels of land at Kings Park to AFC Bournemouth (Option C); and

(c)            instructs BCP officers to agree the recommended HOTs with AFC Bournemouth, instruct BCP’s legal team accordingly and progress the two leases to completion.

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Finance

Reason

This report sets out the heads of terms for the re gearing of existing agreements between BCP Council and AFC Bournemouth at Kings Park to enable expansion of the Vitality Stadium. The regear will result in two leases, the terms of which reflect Best Consideration, in line with BCP Councils constitution and financial regulations.

By approving these recommendations, it will also:

- Enable existing leases to be regeared onto more appropriate terms

- allow this significant investment to be made into the area, improving the area for fans and park visitors

- and help AFC Bournemouth achieve compliance with Premier League regulations

There is no report currently provided with this item as negotiations on the heads of terms are still underway. If negotiations are concluded and it is possible to provide a report and associated details, these will need to be circulated separately as a supplement.  If negotiations have not been concluded by the time of the O&S Board meeting the Board will receive a verbal update on the matter.

Please note that the Board would be asked to consider to exclude the press and Public for consideration of this item and if the report should become available this will be published as exempt material.

The Portfolio Holder for Finance introduced the item and advised that negotiations had been ongoing with the club, but the draft heads of terms had been agreed earlier on the day of the Board meeting. Due to the ongoing negotiations, it had not been possible to provide the Board with the report to support this item, but it was agreed that the Board would receive a verbal update on the details. As the draft heads of terms were not able to be made public until they had been approved the Chair advised that further discussion on this item would need to take place in a non-public session an therefore it was proposed and resolved to exclude the press and public for the duration of further consideration of this item.

RESOVLED That under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the remainder of the item on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 in Part I of Schedule 12A of the Act and that the public interest in withholding the information outweighs such interest in disclosing the information.

- The meeting was adjourned at 7.23pm and resumed at 7.29pm -