Issue - meetings

                        The Chair, in asking for a brief introduction to the report, and in response to comments of Councillor Hare, advised that it was not the intention of the Board to go over previous comments in relation CUFOS and other issues previously discussed.

The General Manager informed the meeting that at a meeting of the Board on 27 March 2006 the Board had resolved at minute AP058 (iv – vi) to place notices in the Palace building and throughout the Park to comply with sec. 36(6) of the Charities Act 1993. The notices indicated that the trustees had resolved to engage in a 125-year lease with the selected investment partner and was seeking further public representation on that decision.  A copy of the notice was attached at Appendix 1.The notices were placed on 28^th March. The notices invited written public representation, addressed to the General Manager, to be received no later than 28 days from the publication of the notice.

Mr Holder commented that at the relevant time a total of 23 representations had been received. However a letter from CUFOS was received late and which expressed unhappiness with the timescale for responses. Mr Holder advised that he had discussed the matter with the Trust Solicitor – Mr Harris and agreed to include a late response in the analysis and this report to the Board. Therefore 24 responses were needed to be considered, sub-divide as:

                               19 focussing on CUFOS

                    3 in respect of specialist television and radio organisations, focussing on the                                                             studios;

1 from the Alexandra Palace and Park Conservation Area Advisory Committee;

                   1 from the Hornsey Historical Society.

CUFOS

Mr Holder advised that the 19 received in respect of CUFOS all focused on the role played by the organisation within the community. The content of the 18 originally received was replicated in the late document received and written on behalf of the trustees of CUFOS. A copy of this and the supporting letters was at Appendix 2. The report focused on that last letter but recognised that it was supported by the 18 others.

Mr Holder summarised the points made on behalf of CUFOS as follows:

* a loss to the community if it were unable to continue beyond the expiry date of    its current lease in March 2011;

* the building should be removed from the footprint subject to the 125-year lease;

alternatively;

* consideration of an extension to the existing lease now.

Mr Holder also advised that the Statutory Advisory Committee had also spent some time discussing this matter and had already provided its advice to the board of trustees. In considering that advice the Board sought the comments of its Solicitor.  Mr Holder commented that those were recorded in the minutes of the meeting of 11^th April and quoted as follows:

“Mr. Harris responded that his advice to the Board was that it was for the current occupier, CUFOS, to negotiate a lease with the new landlord in 2011 after the expiry of the existing  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10