Issue - meetings

a)     The Cabinet – Report No. 2, 3 & 4 / 2007-08

b)     General Purposes Committee – Report No. 1 / 2007-08

(a) CABINET REPORT 2, 3 & 4 - 2007/08 (b) GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE REPORT  1 - 2007/08 :

At this point in the proceedings the Leader of the Council made a statement in respect of the future of Alexandra Palace.

The Leader advised that he was making the statement as Leader of the local authority and taking care not to encroach on the remit of the Alexandra Park & Palace Board which had full delegated powers to make decisions on behalf of the Council as trustee of the Park & Palace.

The Leader noted with regret the judgement of the High Court in the recent judicial review proceedings which had prevented the Council as trustee from granting a long lease of the Palace to Firoka within the previously agreed timescale. The Leader further commented that he had been advised that that the Court’s decision did not contain any criticism of the Alexandra Park & Palace Board’s general strategy of granting a long lease to a commercial developer. It was the consultation process adopted by the Charity Commission which was found to be inadequate and resulted in their Order being quashed. There was nothing in the Court’s judgement to prevent a fresh Order being made after a further and fuller public consultation process.

The leader further stated that he was pleased to note that the meeting of the Alexandra Park & Palace Board on 10 October resolved to confirm the Board’s general strategy and its policy on the lease to Firoka subject to any variations that may be necessary as a result of the fresh public consultation to be undertaken by the Charity Commission, and that if all proceeds successfully, the Council as trustee could be in a position to grant the lease before the end of January 2008. In the meantime the Leader confirmed that the local authority would continue to provide financial support to the Alexandra Park & Palace trust in accordance with its statutory obligations to keep the Palace open as a place of public recreation.

Councillors Hare and Williams responded to the statement on behalf of the Opposition.

Councillor Adje and the Leader responded to points raised in relation to Councillor Adje’s position as member of the Alexandra Palace Trading Company (APTL) and that this position would be reviewed in the near future.

The Leader then gave a brief resume of the reports of Cabinet which were before the meeting for consideration.Other Members questioned details of the reports and the Leader and Cabinet Members responded accordingly.

Councillor Rahman-Khan outlined the contents of the report of the General Purposes Committee – the contents of which had been the subject of Item 10 - MOTION C which was passed by the Authority earlier in the proceedings. 

RESOLVED:

1.      That the Cabinet reports nos. 2, 3 & 4 be received and adopted.

2.      That the General Purposes Committee report no.1 be received and adopted.