Agenda and minutes

At this point Members are asked to declare any personal or prejudicial interests they may have in the business on this agenda.

Members were invited to declare at this point in the meeting any personal or prejudicial interests they might have in the business on the agenda.  No interests were declared.

At this point in the meeting, members of the public who have registered their wish to speak regarding an item on the agenda or an issue within the Committee’s remit can do so. The deadline for registering is 5:00 pm on Friday, 15 May 2009. 

It was reported that there had been no registrations to speak at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.

With the consent of the Chair, Cllr King addressed the meeting in respect of agenda item 4 (Called-In Item: The Barbican Auditorium).  He reminded Members that the Barbican had originally been built to address a lack of entertainments and sports venues in the City.  He stated that the people of York were crying out for the building to be brought back to its former use and that the Council should take the lead in ensuring that this happened, possibly by means of a consortium or trust.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 6 April 2009.

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the Scrutiny Management Committee (Calling In) held on 6 April 2009 be approved and signed by the Chair as a correct record.

To consider the decisions taken by the Executive on the above item, which have been called in by Cllrs Scott, Looker and Gunnell in accordance with the provisions of the Council’s Constitution.  A cover report is attached setting out the reasons for the call-in and the remit and powers of the Scrutiny Management Committee (Calling In) in relation to the call-in procedure, together with the original report and decisions of the Executive.

Members received a report which asked them to consider the decisions made by the Executive at their meeting on 28 April 2009 regarding the next steps to be taken in a strategy designed to bring the Barbican Auditorium back into use.

Details of the Executive decisions were attached as Annex 1 to the report.  The original report to Executive was attached as Annex 2.  The decisions had been called in by Cllrs Scott, Looker and Gunnell for the following reasons:

“The Executive has misdirected itself in opting simply to make safe the venue, and not taking a decision to progress the venue in line with the wishes of residents. The decision taken is effectively not to have taken a decision; it does not progress the building sufficiently with a view to getting it ready to open to the public and reneges on the Executive's responsibility to act decisively. 

The Executive also appears confused over the venue's destiny. It says it cannot be multi-use, then says it should provide 'the major conference and/or entertainment facilities for the city'.  It seems uncertain as to what it should be used for in the future and residents need to know its clear intent.”

Members were invited to decide whether to confirm the decisions of the Executive (Option A) or to refer them back to the Executive for reconsideration and / or amendment (Option B).

In response to questions from Members, Officers confirmed that a further report on the Barbican would be brought to the Executive in September and that, following discussions with the organisers, an alternative venue had been secured for this year’s Festival of Remembrance and arrangements were in hand to do the same for the Carol Concert.  After a full debate, which centred upon the history of the Barbican and its potential viability for the future, Cllr Scott moved, and Cllr Simpson-Laing seconded:

“That Option B be approved and the decisions be referred back to the Executive for reconsideration and that in doing so the Executive be asked to:

a)                 Make a firm decision on the future of the Barbican

b)                 Agree a programme to bring the Barbican back into public use and

c)                  Consider all potential models of ownership, which must include consideration of a community trust model.”

On being put to the vote, the motion was declared CARRIED by 5 votes to 3 and it was therefore

RESOLVED: That Option B be approved and the decisions be referred back to the Executive for reconsideration and that in doing so the Executive be asked to:

a)                 Make a firm decision on the future of the Barbican

b)                 Agree a programme to bring the Barbican back into public use and

c)                  Consider all potential models of ownership, which must include consideration of a community trust model.

REASON:      In accordance with the Constitutional procedures for called-in decisions and to deal with the issues raised by the Calling-In Members and the Scrutiny Management Committee (Calling-In).