Post Scrutiny - Executive Response

(Recommendations 1-8 are intended to form the basis of consultations by the Cabinet Deputy in respect of a new policy for a scheme of concessionary hire charges for the Council’s town halls and community buildings).

Accepted

Key decision report is to be produced to agree consultation process. Full consultation will then be carried out.

Helen Smith

1st April 2010

1. That for all Council buildings that have leases, the conditions within the leases be fully enforced without exception.

Accepted

This recommendation is agreed in principal but each case will need to be reviewed individually.

Helen Smith

1st April 2010

2. That the unsigned leases should be completed and their conditions be enforced.

Accepted

Work is currently progressing on this with leases still to be agreed for Ryecroft, Fairfield and Dukinfield Community Centre.

Neil Berry

1st April 2010

3. That free room hire for the Council’s town halls and community buildings is unsustainable and be no longer granted, without exception.

Accepted

This will be enforced with immediate effect for all new customers. Changes will be made for existing customers following the consultation process.

Helen Smith/Neil Berry

1st April 2010

4. That for every room hire booking, the Council must ensure that all overheads are fully met, without exception and concessionary rates should be set accordingly.

Accepted

This will be enforced with immediate effect for all new customers. Changes will be made for existing customers following the consultation process.

Helen Smith/Neil Berry

1st April 2010

5. Where a town hall or community building with premises available for hire is already open (usually between the hours of 8am and 6pm Monday to Friday, but possibly also some evenings) and full facilities are already available, then a 50% concession of the normal published rate will be granted to eligible organisations. This charge should at least cover the marginal costs of room hire.

Accepted

This will be enforced with immediate effect for all new customers. Changes will be made for existing customers following the consultation process.

Helen Smith/Neil Berry

1st April 2010

6. Where a town hall or community building with premises available for hire is not already open and full facilities are not already available, then a 25% concession of the normal published rate will be granted to eligible organisations which will cover the additional cost of room hire.

Accepted

It is proposed that up to a maximum 25% discount will be available depending on the costs incurred by the Council in making the facilities available.

This will be enforced with immediate effect for all new customers. Changes will be made for existing customers following the consultation process.

Helen Smith/ Neil Berry

1st April 2010

7. That bookings made by an eligible voluntary or charitable organisation which are for events organised with a view to generating a profit, will attract a rate to be negotiated between the parties which is no lower than the usual concessionary rate and no higher than the usual commercial hire rate.

Accepted

Helen Smith/Neil Berry

1st April 2010

8. That in order to be eligible for concessionary room hire rates, the organisations/groups must fall within one of the following categories:-

• Advice and Counselling Groups; or
• Children and Youth Activities; or
• Promotion of Equal Opportunities; or
• Playgroups and nurseries; or
• Mayoral and Registered Charities; or
• Others at the discretion of the Full Council;

and must:

• Be a non-profit making group/organisation; and
• Be based in Tameside or be the Tameside branch of a national organisation; and
• Be mainly for the benefit of Tameside residents; and
• Not have access to alternative funding for room hire.

Accepted

This will be enforced with immediate effect for all new customers. Changes will be made for existing customers following the consultation process.

Helen Smith/Neil Berry

1st April 2010

9. That Facilities Management invests appropriate funds to link the existing computerised room management system between buildings to enable all bookings to be correlated.

Accepted

Funding will be made available in the 2010/11 budget year for this work to be carried out.

Neil Berry

1st April 2011

10. That the Council’s new concessionary rates policy be reviewed after six months.

Accepted

It is accepted that the Scrutiny panel will review the new arranged six months after full implementation.

Howard Boots

1st Sept 2010