Agenda and minutes

There were no disclosable pecuniary interests.

The minutes of the meeting of the former Cabinet Member for Business, Enterprise and Employment were noted.

RESOLVED that approval be given to exclude the press and public under Section 100(A) (4) of the Local Government Act 1972 for consideration of the private matter relating to “Land on the North East Side of Wyken Croft – Surrender of Existing Lease and Sale of Land” on the grounds that that item involves the likely disclosure of exempt information, as defined in Paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of the Act, as it contains information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information) and that in all circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Report of the Executive Director of Place

The Cabinet Member considered a report of the Executive Director of Place which indicated that Pinley Rugby Club are acquiring the freehold of their ground from Wyken Working Men’s Club with the support of a grant from the Rugby Football Union. In order to consolidate their ownership, they have requested to acquire the freehold of lease of the land they occupy from the Council, which is presently leased to Wyken Working Mens’ Club, together with Council land upon which they have partly built their club house.

Part of the land is designated as public open space. It has come to light that at some point in the past, Pinley Rugby Club have extended their clubhouse onto this land and incorporated it into their site. There is no evidence that permission for this was ever obtained from the City Council.

Pinley Rugby Club have approached the City Council seeking to allow the Wyken Working Mens’ Club lease to be surrendered whilst simultaneously selling or leasing To Pinley Rugby Club the two parcels of land.

In order to obtain best consideration for the freehold land to a single purchaser, the land had been independently valued at the expense of the proposed purchaser.

The Executive Director of Place reported orally at the meeting that the independent valuation of the land had been received since the report had been written and details of the valuation were reported in the private part of the meeting (Minute 7/16 below refers)

RESOLVED that the Cabinet Member for Jobs and Regeneration:-

(1)  Approves Coventry City Council selling the freehold interest on

the basis reported and simultaneously accepting a surrender of the Wyken Working Mens’ Club leasehold interest as the terms agreed represent market value.

(2)  Delegates authority to the Executive Director of Resources,

following consultation with Cabinet Member for Jobs and Regeneration, to complete an Agreement to Surrender and then a Deed of Surrender with the Wyken Mens’ Club and the simultaneous sale of the freehold interest in the land to Pinley Rugby Club.

(3)  Approves the advertisement of the intention to dispose of the land presently designated as Public Open Space and consider any objections received.

(4)  Delegates authority to the Executive Director of Place and the Executive Director of Resources as appropriate following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Jobs and Regeneration to agree any variations or new requirements that are deemed necessary to give effect to the above proposals.

There are no outstanding issues

There were no outstanding issues.

There were no other items of public business.

Further to Minute 4/16 above, the Executive Director of Place reported orally on confidential financial matters in relation to the surrender of existing lease and sale of land on the north east side of Wyken Croft.

RESOLVED that the Cabinet Member for Jobs and Regeneration:-

(1)  Approves Coventry City Council selling the freehold interest on

the basis reported and simultaneously accepting a surrender of the Wyken Working Mens’ Club leasehold interest as the terms agreed represent market value.

(2)  Delegates authority to the Executive Director of Resources,

following consultation with Cabinet Member for Jobs and Regeneration, to complete an Agreement to Surrender and then a Deed of Surrender with the Wyken Mens’ Club and the simultaneous sale of the freehold interest in the land to Pinley Rugby Club.

(3)  Approves the advertisement of the intention to dispose of the land presently designated as Public Open Space and consider any objections received.

(4)  Delegates authority to the Executive Director of Place and the Executive Director of Resources as appropriate following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Jobs and Regeneration to agree any variations or new requirements that are deemed necessary to give effect to the above proposals.

NOTE: This item of business was considered as an item of urgent private businesswhich the Cabinet Member decided to consider because of the special circumstances involved, such circumstances being the need to report on the independent valuation of the land which had been received after the report detailed in Minute 4/16 above had been written.