Issue - meetings

To receive the report advising of the progress made on governance and provide an opportunity for Statutory Advisory Committee members to comment.

The Advisory Committee received The Way Ahead – Governance Review and Vision report and noted an Open Day would be held on 22^nd May 2010 to provide members of the public with more information and a road-show was running to seek views on the future of Alexandra Palace, particularly from residents in the east of the borough. 

The Chair stressed the importance of having future trustees with the relevant skills to run the Palace and the ability to attract financial investment and Rebecca Kane, Managing Director – Alexandra Palace Trading Limited (APTL) recognised that any change to the governance of the Palace would address these concerns. 

The Committee emphasised the need for a solution to the dilapidations at the Palace and that commercial developers should be asked to make relevant parts of the building fit for purpose if they were to be leased.  Ms Kane highlighted that relevant people/businesses have expressed interests in the Palace (including wider comments that a hotel was needed on the site) but emphasised that a future vision for the entire site was principally required.

In response to questions about the different models of governance (Appendix 2 of the report) Ms Kane explained that it was an evolutionary process and that it was possible that a model could be adopted in the interim while working towards the ultimate solution.

RESOLVED

i.     The Advisory Committee welcomed the adoption of the NCVO Good Governance Code but  expressed serious  concern that the goals will not be achieved until  the following points  were addressed and the problems resolved:

ii.    The conflict of interest between the Councillors as members of the Board of Trustees and as members of the Council,

iii.   The Board of Trustees should have an appropriate and relevant skill set to run a building of this nature, and should operate independently of the Council.

iv.    Funding to repair the dilapidated state of the Palace  must be provided in the short term otherwise the steady decline could  be terminal

v.     The Committee welcomed the Board’s intention to have regard to examples of how similar projects were governed, such as the Eden Project.

vi  The Committee welcomed the appointment of two new non executive directors to the Board who appeared to have the requisite skill set.