Agenda and minutes

There were no declarations of interest on this occasion.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting held on 1 July 2020 be confirmed and signed by the Chairman.

The Director of Corporate Services submitted the Terms of Reference for the Sub-Committee showing revisions made to it’s membership details following the review of Cabinet Member portfolios.

RESOLVED – That the updated Terms of Reference be approved.

The Chairman to move:

‘That the public be excluded from the meeting for the following item(s) of business which involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the paragraph of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 indicated below’

RESOLVED – That the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business which involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the paragraph of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act, 1972.

Proposals were submitted to grant a 60 year Lease for land at Drake Hall (Eagles Park) to the current licence holders for the site, Eccleshall Eagles Junior Football Club Community Interest Company (EEJFC).

The report detailed the development of the site to date by the Club and referred to the wish to further expand and reconfigure the provision of football pitches and provide ancillary facilities in order to accommodate the growth in Club activities.

The background to the County Councils’ ownership of the site was explained and details given of a number of other parties holding an interest in the site.

The County Council’s obligations under Section 123 of the Local Government Act 1972/General Disposal Consent Order 2003 were deemed to be being complied with due to the proposed use of the site for the benefit of the local community and taking account of it’s overall value given the grant restrictions currently applicable to the site.

RESOLVED – That:

(i)            approval be given to the grant of a 60 year lease for the site to EEJFC; the final Terms to be agreed by the Assistant Director for Commercial and Assets

(ii)          the County Council enter into a Deed of Novation with EEJFC and Sport England in order to novate previous grant related obligations and to secure Sport England’s consent to the Lease of the site

(iii)         consent to the granting of a lease be sought from the Football Foundation and Lichfield Diocesan Trust as parties with an interest in the site

(iv)         the Assistant Director for Commercial and Assets be authorised to review EEJFC’s proposals for the redevelopment of the site, provide Landlord’s consent as appropriate, and to enter into a Licence to Alter either simultaneously with the lease or at a later date.

The Sub-Committee considered the proposed compilation of a package of properties at Castle View, Stafford to provide for their redevelopment following the abandonment of the proposed Castlefields Link Road Scheme.Those  proposals required the sale of no. 7 Castle View and acquisition of  no. 3 Castle View the transactions for which were detailed along with information on the overall net gain to the County Council.

RESOLVED – That approval be given to the sale of No. 7 Castle View and acquisition of no. 3 Castle View as indicated in the report, the final terms to be agreed by the Assistant Director for Commercial and Assets.

Details were submitted of offers received for the site of the Former Ellison School Detached Playingfield, Newcastle under Lyme.

The background to the marketing of the site, including the securing of Outline Planning Permission for its development for residential purposes was reported together with information on ground condition investigations currently underway.

As the local member for the site, Mr J Cooper had reported his support for the proposed sale.

RESOLVED – That approval be given to the sale of the site on the Terms now indicated; the final details of the sale to be agreed by the Assistant Director for Commercial and Assets taking account of the Sub-Committee’s comments on the final sale price.

The Sub-Committee considered the first half yearly activity report by the County Farms Tenancies Panel, the Terms of Reference for which had recently been revised to clarify its role in advising on farm tenancy allocations. The report detailed two farm tenancies considered by them since January 2020.

The Director of Corporate Services reported on the Terms of Reference for the Panel and proposed that it’s membership be increased to provide for 3 elected members and that the Terms of Reference be listed as part of the Executive Arrangments detailed in the County Council’s Constitution.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted and approval be given to the proposed increase in membership of the Panel and its inclusion in the County Council’s Constitution.

Details were submitted of the terms for the proposed sale of the bare land Holding No. 6 , Old Wood Estate, Blithbury Road, Rugeley. The Holding had been identified as a non-core holding suitable for disposal.

RESOLVED – That approval be given to the sale of Holding No. 6, Old Wood Estate, Blithbury Road, Rugeley, comprising 32.99 acres, on the Terms indicated in the report; the detailed contract for the sale to include reference to the purchaser’s stated proposed use of the site.

Proposals were submitted to sell 6.62 acres of land, which included the Farmhouse and buildings at Holding No 47 Plardiwick Estate, Gnosall. This was the remaining Lot at the Holding the whole of which had been marketed in accordance with the County Farms Review Programme included in the Medium Term Financial Strategy.

RESOLVED – That approval be given to the sale of the Lot comprising 6.62 acres, including Farmhouse and buildings, at Holding No. 47 Plardiwick Estate, Gnosall on the Terms indicated in the report.

(To avoid any delay in the transaction, the Chairman agreed to the following item being dealt with as urgent)

Approval was sought to the sale of The Parks, Former Restaurant, New Road, Uttoxeter which had originally been acquired on behalf of Highways England in connection with the A50 Project A Improvement Scheme.

Following completion of the Scheme the property had been declared surplus to requirements. The sale would be cost neutral to the County Council as proceeds would return to Highways England as the funders of the original acquisition.

Detailed Terms for the proposed sale were submitted.

RESOLVED – That:

(i)            approval be given to the sale of The Parks, Former Restaurant, New Road Uttoxeter on the Terms now indicated; the final details of the sale to be agreed by the Head of Regeneration and Strategic Projects.

(ii)          approval be given to an Exclusivity Agreement with the proposed purchaser for the period up to exchange of contracts for the sale.