Meetings, Agenda and Minutes

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 20 May 2008 be confirmed as a correct record.

 Call In of Executive decision on 13 May.

Councillor Howard Jones called in to the Scrutiny Panel the following decisions of the Executive on 13 May

1.            the increase in capitalised funding of the Kingston Theatre Limited Liability Partnership totalling £350,000 be approved;

2.            officers be instructed to approach Kingston University with a request for it to agree to meet 5% of the additional capitalisation so as to preserve the existing share structure of KTLLP;

3.            officers be instructed to make the necessary arrangements to increase the Council’s capital contribution to KTLLP by up to £350,000 (subject to any agreement by the University to meet 5% of this sum);

4.            the financing of the Council’s additional contribution from the Local Authorities Business Growth Incentive (LABGI) scheme monies which will be received in the 2008/09 financial year be approved;

5.            the allocation of the balance of the LABGI monies to a ‘Town Centres Strategies Reserve’ be approved; and

6.            Drapers’ Car Par be renamed ‘The Rose Car Park’, and officers be instructed to make the necessary arrangements for implementation.

Reasons for decision

1.             To enable the Kingston Theatre Limited Liability Partnership to meet its contractual commitments in respect of the fitting out contracts.

2.             To provide that the LABGI receipt of £664,000 be used for the promotion of economic development in town centres.

3.             To enable visitors to the theatre find their way to the car park more easily.  

REASON FOR CALL IN

The reason for the call in was to examine in detail the reasons for all the decisions above taken by the Executive and particularly to review the reasons for the agreed extra funding; the composition of the Board Members of KTLLP; the role of Councillors in the management of KTLLP; the financial business plan for KTLLP; the detailed review of events and decisions that caused variation in costs and specifications from those originally approved by the Executive in 2006; further funding requests and the future relationship between KTLLP, the Theatre Trust and the University and further to examine the arguments in favour of renaming Drapers’ Car Park.

Consideration of the call in

The Panel heard from

Councillor Derek Osbourne                         Leader of the Council

Tracie Evans                        Strategic Director of Finance

Tony Knights                         Kingston Theatre Limited Liability Partnership

Terry Comber                        Quantity Surveyor

Councillor Barry O’Mahony Deputy Leader of the Council had also been invited to attend but had sent apologies as he was representing the Council at another meeting.

Professor David Miles representing Kingston University on the Kingston Theatre Limited Liability Partnership Board was also unable to attend as he was representing the University abroad, a statement from Professor Miles on the involvement of the KTLLP Board in the fitting out project and its continuing scrutiny of the closing of the accounts was circulated.

Councillor Osbourne referred to the Council’s commitment to complete the theatre, and consequently to meet the costs of final works.   The £350,000 is to meet final accounts submitted by various contractors on completion of the fitting out works.   The contracts are with the KTLLP  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.