Issue - meetings

Update report of the General Manager, Alexandra Palace  - To advise the Committee on progress.

The Chair asked for a brief introduction.

The General Manager – Mr Loudfoot advised that since the last meeting of the Committee there had been little progress in forwarding the development project. It had been agreed that should any significant progress be made before the next scheduled meeting then a special meeting of the Consultative Committee would be called to discuss the progress. It had not been necessary to call this meeting. Mr Loudfoot further commented that at this point in time it was still the case that insufficient progress had been made to be able to offer any meaningful report on negotiations. 

In response to a number of points of clarification and concerns at the lack of progress thus far Mr Loudfoot advised that he fully appreciated the frustrations expressed at the lack of progress and that in terms of the Firoka bid it was the case that the Board were still in negotiations with Firoka and they were still the Board’s chosen preferred bidder, and a holistic development and approach was still the aim of Board. The Board were conscious of the fact that the local community was hanging on to the fact that there had been a deal struck with the Firoka Group and that in this respect the local community needed to know what the latest position was. 

With regard to points of clarification in terms of timescales for further consultation by the Charity Commission and finalising the contract Mr Loudfoot advised that it was difficult to put a time frame and that he did not feel that he could speculate. In terms of the Charity Commission undertaking further consultation this was as yet not confirmed.  Whilst stressing that that the consultation was the Charity Commission’s and not the Board’s it was likely that the Board would be asked to comment on the process for its views. Dependent on the outcome of the consultation and the subsequent consideration and agreement of the Board, and any possible Judicial Reviews arsing therefrom it was likely that it would be at least 12 months before there could be a conclusion. It was also the case that the Board would not re-open any negotiations with the Firoka Group and the current development brief would remain unchanged.

Mr O’Callaghan commented on the judgement of the judicial review which had technically centred on the consultation process embarked upon by the Charity Commission, and yet it could have also commented on the contents of the proposed lease, but had not.  Given that there was likely to be a further consultation there was time to take steps to ensure that, as a matter of principal, to ensure that the elements of concern in relation to the lease and its contents, were made readily available during the consultation process.  Mr O’Callaghan also referred to the objects of the Charity and the issue of the accounts which showed no proceeds during the time that Firoka were in the palace, and the issue of £3million held by  ...  view the full minutes text for item 38