Item 14 - Lease of Glenhead Community Centre
West Dunbartonshire Council · 1 November 2023
Back to Infrastructure, Regeneration & Economic Development Committee — 1 November 2023 and its agenda
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL Report by Chief Officer: Resources Infrastructure Regeneration and Economic Development Committee: 1 November 2023 ___________________________________________________________________ Subject: Lease of Glenhead Community Centre, Duntiglennan Road, Duntocher, Clydebank G81 6HF 1. Purpose 1.1 The purpose of this report is to seek approval for the transfer of Glenhead Community Centre to the Antonine Sports Centre (a charitable organisation) which will manage the facility for the benefit of the local community in the form of a lease arrangement. 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that the Committee: (i) Approves the lease of Glenhead Community Centre to the Antonine Sports Centre until 30 June 2056 at a rental of £24,000 per annum. (ii) Authorises the Chief Officer Resources to conclude negotiations. (iii) Authorises the Chief Officer Regulatory and Regeneration to conclude the transaction on such conditions as considered appropriate. 3. Background 3.1 In March 2023, as part of savings options put forward to address a £21million budget gap, members agreed to review community facility provision across West Dunbartonshire. The review sought to reduce the provision to a level more consistent with neighbouring local authorities and address reduced usage post-pandemic. The £257,000 saving will be achieved through the reduction in the budget for community facilities managed by West Dunbartonshire Leisure Trust. Transferring responsibility to manage and control community facilities to voluntary organisations through a combination of community asset transfers or community lease arrangements would reduce the costs to West Dunbartonshire Leisure Trust and to the Council. 3.2 Glenhead Community Centre (Glenhead) is one of seven community facilities within scope to deliver savings. The Council has received a note of interest from the Antonine Sports Centre (Antonine) to take on full responsibility for running the premise. ITEM 14
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4. Main Issues 4.1 Antonine is a constituted group, Registered Company (SC144453) and ‘not for profit’ Charity Organisation (SC021498) with a proven track record within the Duntocher community. They have been operating since 1993 from the current headquarters at Antonine Sports Centre in Duntocher which provides a wide range of sports facilities, classes and activities to cater for the local community. 4.2 The Antonine wish to assume a lease of Glenhead until 30 June 2056 (approximately 33 years). This aligns to the Antonine’s existing sports facility premises in Duntocher which are occupied and ran by them via a 60 year lease from the Council terminating on 30 June 2056. The proposed Glenhead lease, also in Duntocher, would run co-terminus with the same expiration date. 4.3 The market rent has been agreed, in principle, subject to Antonine Board approval, at £24,000 per annum with the Antonine being afforded a rent free period, as appropriate, to assist and reflect the significant refurbishment and adaptation costs required to the property. 4.4 The primary purpose of Antonine is the advancement of education, health, citizenship or community development and public participation in sport. Its objectives are to: • provide recreation and other leisure time activity to the public within Clydebank and surrounding areas with a view to improving their conditions of life • promote and/or provide training, particularly in relation to those skills which are relevant to employment in the fields of sports, recreation and leisure • promote, establish, operate and/or support other schemes of a charitable nature for the benefit of the community within Clydebank. 4.5 Glenhead occupies a site in a mixed light commercial and residential neighbourhood. The building is a brick construction overlaid with flat roofs and has off-street parking. It mainly comprises a community library facility and a small hall for sports and/or leisure use together with ancillary areas. 4.6 The offer of lease at Glenhead maintains the provision of the majority of existing services and also provides new services within the Duntocher community. Antonine intend to refurbish Glenhead and propose to create a community nursery with a health café and indoor activity play centre. 4.7 The new community nursery would be established to provide childcare provision in the area. It would open Monday to Friday for children aged 0-5 years. The Antonine advise this will create at least 10 full time jobs when capacity is reached. The new health café would open 7 days providing
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catering to the nursery and the indoor activity play centre. It would be run by paid staff and volunteers. The café would focus on providing healthy food options at low cost. The indoor play centre would be a soft play style environment with suitable equipment, sensory room and space for birthday parties. This would open 7 days and suitable for children up to 12 years. Antonine advise these services will have a significantly lower pricing structure to comparable uses in the market. 4.7 Glenhead incorporates a sports hall, meeting rooms and a community library facility. The library operates on a part-time basis, five half days per week. The new facility would not include space for a library however Antonine has indicated consideration would be given to visits by the mobile library. The mobile library services the community of West Dunbartonshire with a focus on providing books and other materials to the housebound. The service operates five days a week visits dozens of neighbourhoods, streets and locations including care homes and nurseries across the area attending each fortnightly. Should the proposal be approved, the service would look to incorporate Glenhead into its timetable. The new Faifley Campus incorporating a new community library is set to open in 2025. Colleagues in Citizens Culture and Facilities have confirmed that should the recommendations be approved a consultation will be required to take place for the library element. 4.8 Other existing users at Glenhead include indoor bowlers (one afternoon session per week); parent & toddler group; Councillor’s surgery and after- school club. Antonine are willing to offer these existing user/groups use of comparable facilities at the nearby Antonine Sports Centre in Duntocher, which is within close walking distance of Glenhead. The after-school club, is unable to be accommodated within Glenhead or Antonine Sports Centre but it is understood could be accommodated in the nearby Duntocher Hall as an alternative location. 4.9 The offer of lease at Glenhead is subject to agreement of the usual terms and conditions associated with a full repairing lease with a target date of entry of 1 February 2024. 4.10 The Antonine wishes to retain the option of a Community Asset Transfer at any time during the period of lease. This fully meets the requirements for a successful community ownership programme and would reduce the risk to West Dunbartonshire Leisure Trust and the Council and would deliver the required savings as per the Council decision in March. 5. People Implications 5.1 There are no significant people implications other than the resources required by Legal Services to negotiate missives and conclude the transaction. 6. Financial and Procurement Implications
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6.1 The Council will benefit from an annual rent for the property in the sum of £24,000 per annum. 6.2 The Council will no longer incur resources in managing and maintaining the property. 6.3 The Council will generate a revenue saving of approximately £76,000 per annum achieved via running costs. 6.4 No financial outlays are required by the Council to facilitate this arrangement. 6.5 There are no procurement implications arising from this report. 7. Risk Analysis 7.1 The lease will be subject to is subject to legal due diligence. There is a risk of the lease not proceeding due to any emerging issues during the diligence and leasing process. This is standard for any lease transaction. 8. Environmental Sustainability 8.1 An up to date asbestos report and condition survey will be provided for the property and passed to Antonine. 8.2 Any refurbishment of the property will require to be in line with current building standards. 9. Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA) 9.1 An Equality Impact Assessment is not applicable for the purpose of this report. 10. Consultation 10.1 Consultations have been undertaken with Finance, Regeneration and Regulatory, Greenspace, Citizen Culture & Facilities and West Dunbartonshire Leisure Trust. 11. Strategic Assessment 11.1 By agreeing to this proposal the Council will benefit from savings in relation to operating costs and maintenance in line with the budget option approved at Council in March. 11.2 The recommendation in this report supports the delivery of the Council Strategic Plan and in particular the achievement of the following priorities: • Our Communities – Resilient and Thriving; • Our Council – Inclusive and Adaptable
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Laurence Slavin Chief Officer: Resources Date: 16 October 2023 Person to Contact: Michelle Lynn, Asset Coordinator. Email: michelle.lynn@west-dunbarton.gov.uk Craig Maxwell, Estates Surveyor. Email: craig.maxwell@west-dunbarton.gov.uk Appendices: None Background Papers: None Wards Affected: Ward 4