Agenda, decisions and minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

To provide an opportunity for Members and Officers to declare any disclosable pecuniary and non-pecuniary interests in any item on the agenda.

There were no declarations of interest.

In accordance with Procedure Rules Nos.11 and 35 a period of 10 minutes is allocated for members of the public to address the meeting on any matter relevant to the work of the body in question.  Individual members of the public may speak for up to 5 minutes but the Chairman or person presiding will decide how the period of time allocated for public speaking will be apportioned where there are a number of speakers. Members of the public are not required to give notice to use this facility. However, as a matter of courtesy, a period of 24 hours’ notice is encouraged.

Members of the public wishing to ask a question at the meeting should provide at least three clear working days’ notice in writing and should include the question with that notice. This will enable an informed answer to be given.

No members of the public were present.

To agree to the transfer of this lease.

1.    That, in respect of the former Oakley (Victoria Centre), Meredith and Newdigate Centre, Crewe, as shown in red on the plan attached to the report, the Council be authorised to enter into an agreement for lease conditional upon those matters set out in the report and in accordance with the detailed instructions.

2.    That approval be given for negotiations take place with the current tenant of part of the site to relinquish their interest in the land so as to secure the vacant possession of those parts of the site comprised in the proposed new lease; and that on conclusion of those negotiations the Head of Legal Services be authorised to enter into a deed of surrender with the current tenant upon such terms as shall be recommended by the Interim Asset Manager.

3.    Subject to the above, that the property be leased for a term of 125 years at no premium at a peppercorn rent, which is less than best consideration, substantially in the form of the Department for Education model free school lease to the proposed new tenant the Crewe Engineering & Design University Technical College.

4.      That approval be given to enter into any and all Licences deemed necessary.

Cheshire East Council and sponsors of the Crewe Engineering & Design University Technical College successfully bid to the Department of Education to establish a University Technical College (UTC) in Crewe. The Council identified a number of potential sites and evaluated accordingly. Following the evaluation process, the Former Oakley (Victoria Centre), Meredith and Newdigate Centre was identified as the most suitable and preferred location to establish the proposed University Technical College in Crewe.

The University Technical College aspiration is to develop outstanding employable young people to become the next generation of highly skilled technicians and engineers to support the industries of Cheshire East. The location in Crewe will provide access to an engineering based technical education at Key Stage 4/5 to support companies such as Siemens, Bentley Motors Ltd and Oliver Valves who have reported a need for appropriately skilled young people to join their local workforce.

The proposal will also relieve the Council of the ongoing maintenance and management liability of these premises some of which have been vacant for a number of years and are in a poor state of repair. The site is a central one and, being partially vacant, has been declared surplus to operational requirements. The proposal would make full use of the whole of the site and, for these reasons, the Council has identified this site as the most suitable location that is presently available to it for the purposes of housing the proposed Crewe Engineering & Design University Technical College.

At the meeting an amended plan was circulated which tool into account the most recent information in respect of stopping up orders.  It was confirmed that the UTC had been advised of, and had agreed with, the amended plan which has been added to the website.  In addition it was confirmed that there would be no change to the on-street parking arrangements in Newton Street which was adjacent to the boundary of the site.

RESOLVED

1.    That, in respect of the former Oakley (Victoria Centre), Meredith and Newdigate Centre, Crewe, as shown in red on the plan attached to the report, the Council be authorised to enter into an agreement for lease conditional upon those matters set out in the report and in accordance with the detailed instructions.

2.    That approval be given for negotiations take place with the current tenant of part of the site to relinquish their interest in the land so as to secure the vacant possession of those parts of the site comprised in the proposed new lease; and that on conclusion of those negotiations the Head of Legal Services be authorised to enter into a deed of surrender with the current tenant upon such terms as shall be recommended by the Interim Asset Manager.

3.    Subject to the above, that the property be leased for a term of 125 years at no premium at a peppercorn rent, which is less than best consideration, substantially in the form of the Department for Education model free school lease to the proposed new tenant  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.