Decision details

To approve recommendations that  ensure that the Charity continues to operate in a manner which promotes it's charitable objectives whilst managing the contributions made by the Council.

The Committee considered a report setting out a new management structure for the Trust with terms and conditions designed to create a financially self-sustaining venue for the community and operated in compliance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011. 

All stakeholders involved in the new structure were in agreement with the proposals. It was now necessary for the Committee to scrutinise arrangements and to indicate its approval. It was also necessary for an application to be submitted to the Charity Commission to obtain an exemption which would permit the Charitable Trustee to award a lease to the Management Company of which it was a shareholder. Without this exemption, the proposals could not be brought into effect.

The Committee were in unanimous agreement of the recommendations in the report and also the ambitions envisaged for the future of the Sportsground as a successful commercial and community venue. Concerns about the impact of Covid-19 affecting those ambitions were acknowledged, as was the case for many other venues.

Having considered the proposals in the report, the Committee

RESOLVED:

1.     To approve the Trust property management strategy;

2.     To approve the submission of an application for exemption to the Charity Commission;

3.     To authorise the Director for Service Delivery, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, to take all steps necessary to implement the decision of the Charity Commission.

Reason:

To ensure that the Charity continues to operate in a manner which promotes charitable objectives whilst reducing the financial contribution of the Council.