Issue - meetings

This report proposes the development of a service hub at Wallisdown Heights, which will accommodate services that require a community based location, and which are being displaced as a result of disposal or repurposing of council properties elsewhere in the conurbation..  Cabot lane depot currently accommodates the New to you service, highways materials and equipment storage and electoral services items and is subject to a potential compulsory purchase. The proposal would relocate the New to You service from Cabot Lane Depot alongside Children’s Services, Adult Social Care and partner teams currently based at North Bournemouth Local Office (NBLO) and 79 Lansdowne Road. In doing so, it would maintain important community services, improve accessibility for residents through a single multi-service location, and support better collaboration between co-located teams. The proposal also contributes to the Council’s wider estates rationalisation objectives by enabling the disposal of Cabot Lane Depot, releasing North Bournemouth Local Office and 79 Lansdowne Road from operational use. This provides opportunity for alternative uses in line with the Council’s aspirations for SEND alternative provision. The preferred option requires capital investment of £476k and uses revenue budgets of £46.1k from the existing assets budgets, with delivery both dependent on, and enabling of, the progression of the Cabot Lane disposal.

This report proposes the development of a service hub at Wallisdown Heights, which will accommodate services that require a community based location, and which are being displaced as a result of disposal or repurposing of council properties elsewhere in the conurbation..  Cabot lane depot currently accommodates the New to you service, highways materials and equipment storage and electoral services items and is subject to a potential compulsory purchase. The proposal would relocate the New to You service from Cabot Lane Depot alongside Children’s Services, Adult Social Care and partner teams currently based at North Bournemouth Local Office (NBLO) and 79 Lansdowne Road. In doing so, it would maintain important community services, improve accessibility for residents through a single multi-service location, and support better collaboration between co-located teams. The proposal also contributes to the Council’s wider estates rationalisation objectives by enabling the disposal of Cabot Lane Depot, releasing North Bournemouth Local Office and 79 Lansdowne Road from operational use. This provides opportunity for alternative uses in line with the Council’s aspirations for SEND alternative provision. The preferred option requires capital investment of £476k and uses revenue budgets of £46.1k from the existing assets budgets, with delivery both dependent on, and enabling of, the progression of the Cabot Lane disposal.

[PLEASE NOTE: Should Cabinet wish to discuss the detail of the confidential appendices at Appendix 1 or Appendix 2 the meeting will be required to move into Confidential (Exempt) Session].

RESOLVED that Cabinet: -

(a)        approved the development of a Service Hub at Wallisdown Heights as per Option 2 referred to in this report;

(b)       approved the partial use of capital receipt from the disposal of Cabot Lane Depot to invest in the necessary improvements to establish the Wallisdown Service Hub; and

(c)        approved the sequence of associated moves to enable the release of multiple assets from corporate operational use.

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Finance

The recommended option delivers a range of strategic benefits, including retaining the New to You service and creating a single community-based multi-service hub that improves access for residents. It supports closer collaboration between services, enabling more integrated and effective support for families and service users. The proposal brings a vacant council asset back into productive use while reducing ongoing costs and future maintenance liabilities. It enables wider estate rationalisation, including disposal of Cabot Lane Depot and release of other sites, generating a capital receipt.

Prior to moving into exempt session, the Leader of the Council addressed Cabinet and noted that this would be the last Cabinet meeting attended by Cathi Hadley, Director for Children’s Services, before leaving the Council.

The Leader placed on record Cabinet’s thanks to Cathi for her valued expertise, dedication and significant contribution to supporting children, young people and families across BCP.

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 'I' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

Cabinet was advised that the report proposed the development of a service hub at Wallisdown Heights, which would accommodate services that require a community-based location, and which were being displaced as a result of disposal or repurposing of council properties elsewhere in the conurbation.

In relation to this Cabinet was informed that the Cabot Lane depot currently accommodates the New to you service, highways materials and equipment storage and electoral services items and is subject to a potential compulsory purchase, and that the proposal would relocate the New to You service from Cabot Lane Depot alongside Children’s Services, Adult Social Care and partner teams currently based at North Bournemouth Local Office (NBLO) and 79 Lansdowne Road.

Cabinet was advised that in doing so, it would maintain important community services, improve accessibility for residents through a single multi-service location, and support better collaboration between co-located teams, and that the proposal also contributed to the Council’s wider estates rationalisation objectives by enabling the disposal of Cabot Lane Depot, releasing North Bournemouth Local Office and 79 Lansdowne Road from operational use.

Cabinet was further informed that this provided opportunity for alternative uses in line with the Council’s aspirations for SEND alternative provision.

In addition Cabinet was advised that the preferred option required capital investment of £476k and uses revenue budgets of £46.1k from the existing assets budgets, with delivery both dependent on, and enabling of, the progression of the Cabot Lane disposal.

RESOLVED that Cabinet: -

(a)        approved the development of a Service Hub at Wallisdown Heights as per Option 2 referred to in this report;

(b)       approved the partial use of capital receipt from the disposal of Cabot Lane Depot to invest in the necessary improvements to establish the Wallisdown Service Hub; and

(c)        approved the sequence of associated moves to enable the release of multiple assets from corporate operational use.

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Finance

The recommended option delivers a range of strategic benefits, including retaining the New to You service and creating a single community-based multi-service hub that improves access for residents. It supports closer collaboration between services, enabling more integrated and effective support for families and service users. The proposal brings a vacant council asset back into productive use while reducing ongoing costs and future maintenance liabilities. It enables wider estate rationalisation, including disposal of Cabot Lane Depot and release of other sites, generating a capital receipt.

Prior to moving into exempt session, the Leader of the Council addressed Cabinet and noted that this would be the last Cabinet meeting attended by Cathi Hadley, Director for Children’s Services, before leaving the Council.

The Leader placed on record Cabinet’s thanks to Cathi for her valued expertise, dedication and significant contribution to supporting children, young people and families across BCP.