Agenda, decisions and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Julia McShane and Tom Hunt.

Councillor McShane was replaced on the committee by Councillor George Potter for this meeting.

In accordance with the Councillors’ Code of Conduct, a councillor is required to disclose at the meeting any disclosable pecuniary interest (DPI) that they may have in respect of any matter for consideration on this agenda.  Any councillor with a DPI must notparticipate in any discussion or vote regarding that matter and they must also withdraw from the meeting immediately before consideration of the matter.

If that DPI has not been registered, the councillor must notify the Monitoring Officer of the details of the DPI within 28 days of the date of the meeting.

Councillors are further invited to disclose any non-pecuniary interest which may be relevant to any matter on this agenda, in the interests of transparency, and to confirm that it will not affect their objectivity in relation to that matter.

There were no declarations of interest.

There were no declarations of interest.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 22 September 2022 as a correct record.

The minutes of the meeting held 22 September 2022 were agreed as correct. The Chairman signed the minutes.

The minutes of the meeting held 22 September 2022 were agreed as correct. The Chairman signed the minutes.

Decision:

1.    Agreed to the appointment of Guildford Borough Council as a trustee of Arundel House (Hamilton Fellowes); and

2.    Delegated authority to the Joint Strategic Director of Transformation to arrange for an Officer to attend the Trustee meetings and take day to day decisions about the operation of the Charity and any applications made to the Charity

Reason(s):

To fulfil the Council’s governance duties in respect of land it is holding on trust. 

Other options considered and rejected by the Executive:

Refuse the appointment and further consideration will need to be given to transfer of the land to a trustee of the charity. 

Details of any conflict of interest declared by the Leader or lead councillors and any dispensation granted:

None.

A charitable trust of the land known as Arundel House was created on 18 June 1919 by deed of conveyance and declaration of trust (the Vesting Deed) executed by Frank Knight and Margery Hamilton Fellowes. It was created to support young parents. Guildford Borough Council (GBC) was named as the trustee in the Vesting Deed and GBC is the registered owner of the freehold, which should be as charitable trustee.  Councillor George Potter introduced the report.

The unincorporated charity was registered with the Charity Commission as Arundel House (Hamilton Fellows) charity number 200497 on 22 November 1961.  However, GBC was not recorded as a trustee of the charity by the Charity Commission and the charity had now requested that Guildford Borough Council be appointed as a trustee to regularise the position.

It was explained that the Mayor of Guildford would continue as a trustee.

RESOLVED:

(1)    That Guildford Borough Council be appointed as a trustee of Arundel House (Hamilton Fellowes).

(2)    That the Joint Strategic Director: Transformation and Governance be authorised to arrange for an Officer to attend the Trustee meetings and take day-to-day decisions about the operation of the Charity and any applications made to the Charity.

Reason:

To fulfil the Council’s governance duties in respect of land it is holding on trust.