Agenda item

PLEASE NOTE: Should the Council wish to discuss the detail of the confidential appendix it will be necessary to exclude the press and public and move into confidential (exempt) session. If applicable, the following resolution should be moved:

“That under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that they involve 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.”

Cabinet RECOMMENDS that COUNCIL:

(d)            Agreed to move the project to Full Business Case stage and commit costs estimated at £1.061m;

(e)             Agrees that the needs of the Poole Charter Trustees will be accommodated within the redeveloped Poole Civic Centre and that a location for the Coroner’s Service will be progressed by the Council’s Transformation Programme - Assets and Accommodation Workstream.

Note - resolutions (a) – (c) were resolved matters by the Cabinet

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Philip Broadhead presented the report on the BCP FuturePlaces Ltd – Outline Business Case for Poole Civic Centre Site and outlined the recommendations as set out on the agenda.

Councillor Judes Butt proposed an amendment to the recommendations, amending recommendation (e) and providing the addition of a recommendation (f) as follows: -

(e)             agrees that a permanent home will be accommodated within the Poole Civic Centre building, utilising established historic Mayoral rooms within the redeveloped Poole Civic Centre; and

(f)              that a location for the Coroner’s Service will be progressed by the Council’s Transformation Programme – Assets and Accommodation Workstream.

The proposer accepted the above amendment and addition which therefore along with recommendation (d) set out on the agenda became the substantive motion.

Comprehensive discussion took place on the item which included the following points being raised:

• frustration by the Poole Charter Trustees in not having a base for the Mayorlty
• lack of public consultation

An amendment to recommendation 9(d) was proposed by Councillor David Brown and seconded by Councillor Stephen Bartlett as follows:

Council RESOLVES not to move the project to Full Business Case stage and not to commit costs estimated at £1.061m at this time. Instead to pause this project for further consideration of the Outline Business Case for the former Poole Civic Centre site as set out in Appendix A to this report and further consideration of the potential costs and benefits of the options contained therein, by the next administration of this Council following the forthcoming May 2023 elections.

Meeting adjourned 21:04

[Councillors Anne Filer and Norman Decent left the meeting]

Meeting reconvened 21:20

Comprehensive discussion took place on the proposed amendment during which support was expressed for the deferral to enable more time for the finances and risks to be considered.

A recorded vote on the item was requested and upon receiving the required support the amendment as set out above was put to the vote as follows:

For: 33

Against: 27

Abstentions: 2

(c)             resolves not to move the project to Full Business Case stage and not to commit costs estimated at £1.061m at this time. Instead to pause this project for further consideration of the Outline Business Case for the former Poole Civic Centre site as set out in Appendix A to this report and further consideration of the potential costs and benefits of the options contained therein, by the next administration of this Council following the forthcoming May 2023 elections.

(d)            agrees that a permanent home will be accommodated within the Poole Civic Centre building, utilising established historic Mayoral rooms within the redeveloped Poole Civic Centre; and

(e)             that a location for the Coroner’s Service will be progressed by the Council’s Transformation Programme – Assets and Accommodation Workstream.

Note – resolutions (a) to (c) were resolved matters by the Cabinet.

Councillor Marcus Andrews declared an interest in this item and refrained from voting thereon.