Agenda item

Public participation

To receive any questions or statements from members of the public that have registered to speak. 

Minutes:

Hester Hand, from Friends of Abingdon Civic Society, addressed the committee.

 

“Thank you for the opportunity to address the Committee.

 

I would like to raise concerns over the Cabinet Work programme and the scheduled decision on 4 December about Old Abbey House.

 

At the Council meeting on 7 October, the Chairman stressed the need for transparency over Old Abbey House. There is great public interest in this matter, and significant concern about the way it is being dealt with.

 

Sadly, there is a considerable gap between what the public has been told was going to happen, and what actually seems to be planned.

 

We were assured that the “market testing” exercise was simply that;  no decision about the future of the building had been taken; once the market-testing exercise had been completed, the Council would be willing to discuss community groups’ plans with us; the Cabinet would consider all the options; and a decision about the future of the building would be taken in a meeting open to the public.

 

Then, In October, bids were invited. These had to be submitted by 9 November, and the stated aim is to complete the sale by 15 January.

 

The Cabinet work programme says that a decision on Old Abbey House will be taken on 4 December, it is a ‘key’ decision, and likely to be confidential under Category 3. However, in breach of requirements, the work programme does not say what the decision being taken is about, nor (in any detail) the reasons for confidentiality. There is little transparency here.

 

We are very concerned that two distinct decisions are being rolled-up together and pushed through in great haste. The Cabinet first needs to take a decision in principle on the future of the building, following consultation with interested parties, and taking into account all the options. There is no reason whatsoever for this decision to be taken in confidential session. If, and only if, the decision in principle is to sell the freehold, then a second decision, about which bid (if any) to accept, will be needed.

 

The approach adopted in the Cabinet Work Programme will mean that the Council’s reasoning and motivations for this very important decision are hidden from public view. That is not transparency.

 

We hope that the Scrutiny Committee will be consulted in advance about any proposed decisions on Old Abbey House. In any event, we trust that you will be ready to hold the Cabinet to account for using your constitutional powers. We would incidentally dispute any suggestion that the decision is urgent (and therefore in any way exempt), as the timetable is self-created.

 

We feel that the public has been seriously misled about how the future of Old Abbey House was to be considered. We respectfully request the Scrutiny Committee to use its powers fully, to ensure that any decision taken is in line with the Leader’s assurances and the need for transparency.”

 

Chair thanked Hester for her presentation. As scrutiny committee had not seen any reports, the committee could not ask questions at this stage. The committee looks forward to seeing reports for Cabinet and Council in due course.

 

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