Agenda item

The purpose of this report is to consider options for reviewing the Council’s future office accommodation needs including recommendations for the future ownership of the Bognor Regis Town Hall.

The Committee received a joint report from the Joint Interim Chief Executives with the report being presented by Mr Roberts. He explained that post covid, there was a significant proportion of staff that continued to undertake hybrid working which was a combination of working in the office and from home. The result of this was that a reduced amount of floorspace was being used compared to pre-covid times. Combining this with the Council’s decision to support a climate change emergency meant that there was the opportunity to look at future accommodation needs in terms of contributing to the Council’s net zero situation.

This report invited members to consider agreeing that officers proceed in undertaking and preparing some business cases looking at options, costings and including the potential separation of front and back office functions, to include alternative locations as a result of the possible transfer of the Bognor Regis Town Hall to Bognor Regis Town Council.

It was highlighted that if approved, officers would assist the Town Council to make a bid to the Community Ownership Fund to assist with the costs of modernising  the building.

Following this presentation, the Chair invited questions.  These were detailed and have been summarised below:

·       There was concern expressed as to whether some Members of the Committee who were also Bognor Regis Town Councillors had a conflict of interest.

·       Concern was expressed as no costings had been provided. Members in making this decision needed to consider the value of the building and the ground that it stood on.

·       Was this the correct Committee to consider this item? Should this be the Economy Committee or even Full Council?

·       How did these proposals impact the decision made by Full council to support the “Save the Bognor Regis Town Hall” petition in January last year?

In response, it was confirmed that it was very appropriate for this item to be presented to this Committee. However, it was accepted that the matter of property disposal did fall under the remit of the Economy Committee and so depending upon the outcome of this evening and the work that would be undertaken by Officers, if instructed to do so by the Committee, any direction to dispose of the Town Hall would then be referred to the Economy Committee and if there was the need, would then be referred onto Full Council.  It was reconfirmed that this was not what the Committee was being asked to do in considering the three recommendations before them.

Responding to the points made about the petition, the report was seeking authority to explore how to best deliver services to Bognor Regis, which could include exploring how services could be best provided to the public which might involve another location in the Town Centre.  Officers needed to undertake the work outlined in the recommendations and explore all possibilities as part of the business case.  This report was asking for Member endorsement for this work to be undertaken.

Ongoing debate saw further concerns being expressed following the petition that had been presented to Council in January last year. Clarification was also sought in terms of the wording used in Recommendation 2.1. Some Councillors requested to know what was meant by the words ‘possible transfer’.

Other questions asked were around the exact amount of spare office space existed at the Town Hall and the Civic Centre. If was outlined that until detailed surveys had been undertaken, this question could not be accurately answered. It was estimated that less than 20% of floor space was being used, but this would be explored in much more detail as part of the work that Officers would undertake.

Discussion again focused upon the wording transfer in Recommendation 2.1 and also the comments made by the Group Head of Finance and Section 151 Officer in Section 7.1 of the report.  Councillor Greenway then confirmed that he wished to make an amendment to Recommendation 2.1 by replacing the word ‘transfer’ with ‘disposal’ in the first line of that recommendation.  Having sought advice from the Group Head of Law & Governance and Monitoring Officer, the request to amend the recommendation was withdrawn.

Following further debate, Councillor Pendleton confirmed that she wished to make an amendment to Recommendation 2.1 to read as follows [any deletions have been shown using strikethrough with any additions shown using bold].

“Officers of the Council explore the possible transfer of the Bognor Regis Town Hall to Bognor Regis Town Council [including opportunities for the Town Council to make a bid to the Community Ownership Fund to assist with the costs of modernising the building] or any other interested party”.

This amendment was then seconded by Councillor Gunner.

The Chair then invited debate on the amendment.

This saw some of the Committee disagreeing with it. This was because it was felt that the amendment was jumping ahead in mentioning other interested parties.  The business cases needed to be prepared by Officers first before considering other routes.

The Committee then heard from the Seconder and the Proposer of the amendment. They confirmed that all options should be considered at this stage and in view of what might be in the best interests of the authority. They were simply trying to protect Arun’s interests and asked for all options to be explored.

          Having undertaken the voting on this amendment, this was declared LOST.

The Chair then returned to the substantive recommendations which were proposed by Councillor Oppler and seconded by Councillor Birch.

          The Committee

                     RESOLVED – That

(1)               Officers of the Council explore the possible transfer of the Bognor Regis Town Hall to Bognor Regis Town Council includingopportunities for the Town Council to make a bid to the Community Ownership Fund to assist with the costs of modernising the building;

(2)               Subject to undertaking staff consultation and considering any responses received, it is proposed to relocate the  Council’s back office at the Bognor Regis Town Hall as soon as practical to the Civic Centre in Littlehampton; and

(3)               A business case be prepared by officers for the separation and relocation of front and back office functions, including future space requirements costings, alternative locations and public and staff consultation.