Issue - meetings

FOUR GREENS COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TRUST?

 

 

Meeting: 21/10/2014 - Cabinet (Item 59)

59 NEW COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TRUST AT FORMER WHITLEIGH CARE HOME pdf icon PDF 101 KB

Anthony Payne (Strategic Director for Place) will submit a written report seeking approval to the transfer of the Whitleigh Care Home Premises to the Four Greens Community Trust, the new Community and Economic Development Trust, initially on a 35 year lease, subject to the receipt of a satisfactory business case to the City Council Investment Board and capital approval by March 2015, and ultimately to transfer the freehold when the trust is self-sustaining.

 

A background paper to this report can be accessed at the Council’s website Council and Democracy/Councillors and Committees/Library/Cabinet background papers or using the following hyperlink –

http://tinyurl.com/q3d6bmh

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Anthony Payne (Strategic Director for Place) submitted a written report seeking approval for the transfer of the Whitleigh Care Home premises to the Four Greens Community Trust, the new Community and Economic Development Trust, initially on a 35 year lease.

 

The report indicated that the premises would be developed as the headquarters for the new trust and would provide a mixture of business units to support business start-ups and growth along with a range of community uses, with the potential to create over 65 new jobs.  

 

Councillor Penberthy (Cabinet Member for Co-operatives, Housing and Community Safety) introduced the proposals and advised that -  

 

(a)

the establishment of the trust had been the result of work with people across four neighbourhoods: Whitleigh, Honicknowle, Ernesettle and Manadon;   

(b)

11 sites had been earmarked for the new Community and Economic Development Trust;

(c)

the social enterprise investment fund was supporting the recruitment of a business development manager.

 

Stephen Bashford (Enterprise and Inward Investment Manager), Patrick Bowes (Urban Enterprise Project Manager), Jane Hunt (Economic Development Officer), David Draffan (Assistant Director for Economic Development) and Fiona Scapens (Regeneration Manager) attended the meeting for this item. 

 

The Chair thanked Councillor Jon Taylor for his work as lead member on the project and Cabinet Members were advised that –

 

(d)

the project would deliver a hub for Whitleigh and would allow the trust to deliver services across the north of the city;

(e)

there was an opportunity to channel public health funding into the neighbourhoods;

(f)

although 136 residents were members of the trust across the four  neighbourhoods, people in the north of the city were encouraged to get involved and become members; 

(g)

the trust had now been registered as a Community Interest Company within 12 months of the original Steering Group, using the inspiration from the Wolseley and Millfields Community and Economic Development Trusts;

(h)

the next step was to formulate business enterprise ideas to help sustain the trust.

 

Alternative options considered and reasons for the decision –

 

As set out in the report.

 

Agreed -

  

(1)

that a combination of revenue support (including income generating activities and investment opportunities) will be used to support the CEDT to the point where it becomes a sustainable economic asset, owned and managed by the local community;

(2)

the transfer of the former Whitleigh Care Home to the Four Greens Community Trust by way of a lease  for a period of 35 years at a peppercorn rental, subject to the Strategic Director of Place in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Cooperatives, Housing and Community Safety, having agreed a detailed business case by no later than March 2015 and subject to capital approval; 

(3)

that two councillors are nominated to the Board of the Four Greens Community and Economic Development Trust at the next meeting of the City Council;

(4) 

that officers, members of the Steering Group and the Directors on the Board are thanked for their time and work which has achieved this significant progress  ...  view the full minutes text for item 59