KEY DECISION / ITEM OF “PRIVATE” BUSINESS, WITHOUT 28 DAYS’ NOTICE, FOR EXECUTIVE MEETING 26TH FEBRUARY 2018

The Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012

Notice of Intention to Transact Key Decision / “Private” Business Without 28-Day Notice

Notice is hereby given in accordance with Regulation 10 of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012 that it was impracticable to give 28 days’ notice of the taking of the following decision, which is a Key Decision to be taken by the Executive at its meeting on 26 February 2018:

·         Charlton House Compulsory Purchase Order

The reason for which it has been impracticable to give 28 days’ notice of this decision is as follows: The Council has been seeking to acquire Charlton House by agreement with the current owner. The intention upon acquiring would be to convert the current empty and derelict office block to student accommodation, in readiness for the first cohort of students joining UA92 in September 2019. However discussions have not progressed as well as we had anticipated and at this point it is unclear that an agreed purchase is achievable. The Council considers the use of CPO powers to be a last resort and had therefore sought to avoid their use, and for the prospect of their use to be a barrier to an agreed acquisition. It is now imperative that the Council progress the use of CPO powers to acquire Charlton House in order to be able to complete the acquisition of the property in reasonable time to enable it to be converted to student use for September 2019.

The Chairman of the Scrutiny Committee has been advised of this issue in accordance with Regulation 10.

Notice is further given in accordance with Regulation 5(6) of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012 that this decision will involve an item of private business (containing “exempt information), also to be transacted at the same meeting, and thus without 28 days’ formal notice.

In accordance with Regulation 5(6), this has been reported to the Chairman of the Scrutiny Committee, who has agreed that, for the reasons set out above, transacting this business at the private meeting is urgent and cannot reasonably be deferred. 

JANE LE FEVRE

Director of Legal & Democratic Services

7 February 2018