Issue - meetings

(a)            That Saltney Library and the Options Appraisal Report be discussed at the

               meeting on 25 April 2013.

(b)                     That members recognise that the section 106 site at Saltney may not  be a

               viable option, subject to the publication of the Options Appraisal Report.

The Director of Lifelong Learning introduced the report to update members on work to provide a permanent library in Saltney.

• A temporary facility was currently in operation for 14 hours per week
• In August 2009 the Council entered into a section 106 agreement with Morrisons Supermarkets which involved the transfer of a parcel of land adjacent to the new super store to Flintshire County Council
• The parcel of land was to be used to accommodate a new library.
• The agreement stipulated a 7 year timescale for the agreement.
• A steering group was set up to investigate the provision of a multi use building on the site.
• A feasibility study commissioned by the group found that initial costs for such a building ranged from £1.1m to £2m
• Insufficient funding was in place at the time and it was decided that an options appraisal be undertaken.
• The options appraisal report would be available in April 2013.

Councillor V. Gay, the local member was invited by the Chair to speak about the condition of the section 106 agreement land at Saltney.  She said that the Section 106 agreement had been a flawed negotiation and that Planning should have known about the existence of a large water pipe that ran across the site. She claimed that had the steering group been aware of this that they would not have entered into the agreement.  She added that the timescale was not realistic and that no progress had been made with the project.  She summed up by asking that members voted not to accept the report and to reject the site outright as a possible replacement for the Saltney library.

The Leader of the Council said that the Council was still committed to providing a library service in Saltney

The Chair said that he was concerned about the original land exchange and the suitability of the plot.  He suggested that the matter be considered        again at the Lifelong Learning Overview and Scrutiny meeting on 25 April 2013 after the release of the Options Appraisal Report.

                           Councillor S. Jones said that she agreed with the Chair’s proposal.

The Director of Lifelong Learning said that the options appraisal would look at other potential sites in the town and if capital funds were needed these would need to be addressed in the Capital Programme.             

The proposal by Councillor V. Gay to delete the section 106 land from the list of possible sites was rejected by the committee.

The Chair proposed that the matter be placed on the Forward Work Plan as an agenda item for the Lifelong Learning Overview and Scrutiny   Committee meeting on 25 April 2013. This proposal was agreed by the committee.

               RESOLVED:

(a)               That Saltney Library and the Options Appraisal Report be discussed at the meeting on 25 April 2013.

(b)               That members recognise that the section 106 site at Saltney may not  be a viable option, subject to the publication of the Options Appraisal Report.