Agenda item

Report attached.

The following item was submitted as urgent business with the Chair’s agreement in accordance with Section 100B(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the reason being to ensure the latest legal information was included in the report.

The Leader of the Council submitted a report to seek approval from Cabinet to grant a lease of Higham Playing Fields in Accrington and associated changing pavilion

(shown edged red on the plan attached to the agenda report) to Accrington Stanley

Football in the Community Trust Limited (ASCT) to develop the site into a

Community Sports Hub.

Approval of the report was not deemed a key decision.

Reasons for Decision

The site consists of an old changing pavilion (constructed in 1972 which is in poor condition and needs investment to bring it up to modern day standards), a grass playing field (on two levels) which was levelled and drained in 2012 with on street parking only.   

Currently the site is used informally and for community sports (football, rugby league and cricket) primarily at weekends and evenings during the week. The frequency of use varies depending on the time of year and whether any sporting fixtures are being played. The pavilion is only open when sporting fixtures are scheduled.    

At Cabinet in February 2017 it was agreed that the Council would explore the opportunity to work with ASCT to provide a community sports hub. ASCT wanted to lease an area of land from the Council and develop it into a community sports hub.

Cabinet was prepared to support the ASCT proposal in principal because ASCT was

prepared to invest £2 million to develop a community sports hub, facilitate community

activities, which will include a training programme, is a ‘not for profit’ organisation and

registered charity which has expertise in coaching, training & promoting health through sports and the charitable objects of ASCT (set out in paragraph 3.7 of this report) reflect how the Council would like to see the site used and developed.

ASCT has received in principle funding for the proposal from the Football Foundation, secured grant funding from a number of other funding bodies and have access to funding of their own, which add up to £2 million.

It is proposed that this funding package will provide a community sports hub which will consist of a number of outdoor sports grass pitches, an all-weather sports pitch,  a community building which contains offices, a café/refreshment area, changing and welfare facilities and coach education rooms, plus off street parking.

Providing a range of community services and opportunities can also support the financial sustainability of the site, providing income both on an educational and sporting front. It will allow people from every background to access the sporting facilities, helping to improve attitudes to activity as well as providing a facility for football development.

Alternative Options Considered and Reasons for Rejection 

Cabinet could decide not to proceed with the proposed lease of Higham Playing Fields to ASCT. Whilst this is an option, the recommendations in the report acknowledge that the external investment (£2 million) in facilities at Higham Playing Field and the proposed community activities to be organised by ASCT, are of tangible benefit to the residents of Hyndburn.

Resolved        (1)        That Cabinet considered the objections to the proposed

lease received by the Council in response to the statutory notice given under section 123 Local Government Act 1972,  copies of which had been supplied to each member of Cabinet along with the report and were summarised in Appendix 1; and

                        (2)        That Cabinet agreed to lease Higham Playing Fields and

associated changing pavilion (as shown edged red on the attached plan of the agenda) to ASCT for the purpose of developing the site as a community sports hub on the terms set out in paragraph 3.14 of the report; and

                        (3)        That Cabinet delegated authority to the Deputy Head of

Environmental Services, following consultation with the Executive Director (Legal & Democratic Services) and Head of Housing & Regeneration to agree the detailed terms of the lease and thereafter instruct Legal Services to complete the lease to ASCT; and

                        (4)        That Cabinet delegated authority to the Deputy Head of

Environmental Services, following consultation with the Leader of the Council and the Executive Director (Legal & Democratic Services) to agree the detailed terms of any novation or other agreements required by Fields in Trust, Sport England and the Football Foundation in connection with the proposed lease and thereafter to instruct Legal Services to complete any novation or other agreements with Sport England, Fields in Trust and the Football Foundation.