Issue - meetings

That:

1)            it be agreed in principal that the provider for the Matthewsgreen Community Centre will be Kings Church Wokingham subject to the Director of Locality and Customer Services and Executive Member for Strategic Highways and Planning receiving a satisfactory form of agreement for suitable governance arrangements with WBC to enable provision of services which are consistent with ‘Shaping Our New Communities’ principles; and

2)        that subject to 1) being satisfactorily concluded, a final agreement with Kings Church Wokingham will be written and reported back to the Executive for final agreement.

The Executive considered a report relating to a new community facility within the North Wokingham Strategic Development Location (SDL).

The Executive Member for Strategic Highways and Planning informed the meeting that the Kings Church Wokingham had come forward with a proposal to be the provider of the community centre and in addition had committed to putting nearly £1m of their own money into the project to undertake the work outlined in their proposal which included a café, community hall, nursery etc. The Kings Church Wokingham wanted people to be made aware that although they would be managing the new Centre, like the FBC Centre in Finchampstead, the building would not be made to look like or feel like a ‘church’. Councillor Lee also highlighted that the facility would be fitted out to a good commercial standard to comply with all health and safety legislation.

Councillor Weeks highlighted the wording on the cover of the Proposals document which stated that the proposals were “subject to contract and to approval by the Planning Committee of WBC to the modifications …” and reminded Members that, approval of the Community Centre by the Executive in no way commits the Council, in its role as Planning Authority, to approve such an application.

In recommending Kings Church Wokingham as the provider for the Matthewsgreen Community Centre Councillor Lee highlighted all the activities that they had provided in the past eg a mum and toddler group, Soulscape, youth club etc.  He also praised the work of all the churches for the great service they provided throughout the community. 

RESOLVED that:

1)            it be agreed in principal that the provider for the Matthewsgreen Community Centre will be Kings Church Wokingham subject to the Director of Locality and Customer Services and Executive Member for Strategic Highways and Planning receiving a satisfactory form of agreement for suitable governance arrangements with WBC to enable provision of services which are consistent with ‘Shaping Our New Communities’ principles; and

2)        that subject to 1) being satisfactorily concluded, a final agreement with Kings Church Wokingham will be written and reported back to the Executive for final agreement.