Agenda and minutes

An apology for was absence was received on behalf of Councillor Dillon (due to a family bereavement)  and  for lateness from Councillor Haley.

The Chair will consider the admission of any late item of urgent business. (Late items will be considered under the agenda item where they appear. New items with be dealt with at item 5)

The Chair asked if there were any items of urgent business,.

                                    At this point in the proceedings Councillor Hare advised the Chair that he wished to raise a matter of urgent business in conjunction with Item 5 on the exempt part of the agenda. He presented a letter to the Chair which he had written to the Chief Executive of Haringey Council that afternoon in respect of his concerns that the General Manager of Alexandra Palace had a conflict of interest in respect of the two bidders.

                                    The Chair then read out the content of the letter which in essence commented on the retention of existing staff by one bidder – Firoka, but not by the other – Earls Court and Olympia Limited (ECO). The letter commented on ECO not providing any detailed proposals to the Board and that the General Manager had summarised such proposals to both the Board, at its meeting on 10 January 2006, and the Statutory Advisory Committee on 24 January 2006, based on seemingly scant information of that bidder’s original expression of interest and possibly subsequent communication (s).  Councillor Hare’s letter further commented that the presentations conflicted with the details of a letter from the bidder dated 13 January 2006 received by all Trustees included detailed differences in relation to the future of the organ, ice-rink and hotel and perhaps more significantly the sense of interest and commitment to public facilities expressed in that letter of 13 January 2006, were not in anyway reflected in the negative picture given to both the Board and the Advisory Committee.  Councillor Hare’s letter further commented on when Councillors had a similar conflict of interest it would be a requirement that such interest be declared, and given its significance, for the Member to leave the room for the entire item.  Councillor Hare’s letter went on to further state that he felt that it raised questions in relation to the involvement to date of an officer in as many quite critical ways as had been the case now. The conflict of interest would have become apparent at an early stage and that at the point that the conflict of interest was apparent of any staff member then no further involvement in the bidding process should have been permitted. Councillor Hare’s stated view was that the General Manager had had a defining role in both the process and the presentations to the Board and the Statutory Advisory Committee.  The letter concluded that in Councillor Hare’s view the General Manager should not take part in the proceedings this evening, should be entirely separated from the rest of the process and that the potential conflicts of interest in his role to date be investigated.   

                                    The Chair, having read the letter’s contents, asked if members had any comments.

                                    Councillor Hoban confirmed his sentiments in support of the contents of the letter, and that it was appropriate to raise the matter as urgent business in accordance with Item 5.

                                    Following questions from Members  ...  view the full minutes text for item 34.

A member with a personal interest in a matter who attends a meeting of the authority at which the matter is considered must disclose to that meeting the existence and nature of that interest at the commencement of that consideration, or when the interest becomes apparent.

A member with a personal interest in a matter also has a prejudicial interest in that matter if the interest is one which a member of the public, with knowledge of the relevant facts, would reasonably regard as so significant that it is likely to prejudice the member's judgement of the public interest.

There were no declarations of interests.

The following item is likely to be subject of a motion to exclude the press and public from the meeting as it contains exempt information as defined in section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972; namely terms proposed or to be proposed by or to the authority in the course of negotiations for a contract for the acquisition or disposal of property or the supply of goods or services and information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (other than the authority).

RESOLVED

The following item is likely to be subject of a motion to exclude the press and public from the meeting as it contains exempt information as defined in section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972; namely information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (other than the authority),  and terms proposed or to be proposed by or to the authority in the course of negotiations for a contract for the acquisition or disposal of property or the supply of goods or services

SUMMARY OF EXEMPT/CONFIDENTIAL PROCEEDINGS

            To advise the Charity Trustees of the results of the evaluation of the two submissions made by potential investment partners and makes recommendations to the Board of Trustees thereon together with a recommendation on further conduct.

FUTURE USE OF ALEXANDRA PALACE

                        AGREED the recommendations contained in the report.

The meeting ended at 22.45HRS. 

VIVIENNE MANHEIM

Chair