Issue - meetings

To advise the Committee on progress.

The Chair referred to recent events in respect of the future of the Palace and the fact that the preferred bidder and partner – the Firoka Group had, on 18 August 2008, withdrawn its interest in the development of Alexandra Palace.  

The Chair further informed the Committee that the Board, on 26 September 2008, had considered an independent review of the licence entered into with the Firoka Group – the Walklate report, which was readily available on the Council’s web.  The Board had endorsed the recommendation/findings of the review, as well as an action plan arising from the review in respect to governance arrangements. Copies of that report were available on the Council’s web, and copies should have been available at this meeting but were not, and would be circulated to the Consultative Committee for their information.

With regard to the future of the Palace the Chair commented on the opportunity now open to the Board, given the history of the Palace over the past 25 years, to look at the pure potential of the Palace and he felt that there was an exciting prospect for the Board during the next 6 months, in conjunction with the Local community, residents, statutory bodies and interested groups, to look at a whole range of issues in respect of the future of the Palace. The Chair also commented that by having an open and frank dialogue this would not preclude any idea or proposal and he was confident that this process would be a positive and successful one.  The structure of the existing trusteeship could be looked at, and whether there were options to be explored for the transfer of trusteeship in the future, and recognising what was the best interest of the Palace.

The General Manager – Mr Loudfoot also commented on the matter of the  Firoka Group giving formal notice of withdrawing its interest as preferred bidder for the future development of the asset on 18 August 2008.  The Board, at a special meeting on 26 September 2008, considered a number of matters relating to the future of the asset, including an independent review of the Licence arrangements entered into with the Firoka Group (a copy of that review was available for any Member at this meeting), and the resultant recommendations arsing from that review recommendations regarding the future governance arrangements relating to the palace had been endorsed by the Board.  Mr Loudfoot further advised that the Board had also discussed, and had agreed that an away day be arranged to discuss the future of the asset, and the way forward in the next 6/12 months.

Ms Hayter referred to the Independent report of which she had a copy, and commented that in her view it was evident that the advice of the Council’s legal service should have been sought in terms of the entered into licence arrangements in order to have a balanced view, but this evidently had not been done. In seeking clarification as to the advice sought  ...  view the full minutes text for item 50