Issue - meetings

[Report of the Assistant Director  for Economic Development and Growth. To be introduced by the Leader of the Council.]Cabinet to consider the sale of the Fairfax Hall property currently occupied by the Kurdish Community Centre to the Kurdish Community Centre (KCC).

(Clerks note - Councillor Demirci left the meeting at this point, following a declaration of a personal interest at the start of the meeting).

The Leader of the Council introduced the report which sought approval for the disposal of the Council’s freehold interest in the Kurdish Community Centre. This proposal was guided by the principles of the Council’s Community Asset Transfer policy, safeguarding the building for future community use.

The Kurdish Community Centre made a significant contribution to the community and the organisation had already funded and completed significant improvements to the building. They had further been continuing to fundraise, over a number of years, to acquire the building.

The Leader referred to the safeguards in place, following the proposed transfer of the freehold. These were set out at paragraph 4.7 and included:

·         A covenant to ensure that no redevelopment of the site and building can take place.

·         A covenant restricting use of the site and building to community use only.

·         An option that the Council would have first right of refusal to re-purchase the site if the organisation is no longer able to manage or maintain the condition of the site and building. If this happens at any point in time in the future, then the re-purchase price would be at the same consideration sum that Yek-Kurd CIC paid the Council plus an on a RPI increase.

RESOLVED

1.    To declare the Kurdish Community Centre site (as shown in the red line Plan in Appendix 1) surplus to requirements.

2.    To authorise the disposal of the Council’s freehold interest in the Kurdish Community Centre site to Yek-Kurd CIC for a sum of £593,000 (Five Hundred and Ninety-Three Thousand Pounds) for the reasons set out paragraph 4 of this Report and on the terms and conditions set out in Appendix 2 of this Report.

Reasons for decision

The Kurdish Community Centre have long expressed a desire to acquire the freehold of the Kurdish Community Centre site. In the event that the Council would support such a position the organisation has systematically fundraised to enable them to purchase the building with the aim of continuing to provide social and economically beneficial services to the Kurdish Community and run the Centre for general Community Wellbeing.

The Cabinet on 3^rd July 2017 approved a Community Asset Transfer (CAT) Policy which generally supports the transfer of Community Buildings on a leasehold basis where it can be shown that:

a)    there is a social and economic benefit,

b)    where communities can be enabled to take a long term interest in the building

c)    organisations can be better enabled to take attract long term funding

In preparation for the acquisition, a separate community asset company, Yek-Kurd CIC has been set up KCC. The Community Interest Statement states that:

 “the company will carry on its activities for the benefit of the community, or a section of the community. The company’s activities will provide benefit to Kurdish people living in London and the United Kingdom. Yek-Kurd aims  ...  view the full minutes text for item 126