Decision

The Executive has decided to adopt a process to allow the trustees of Deepcut Village Association to access and use S106 funds for the maintenance of the Deepcut Village Centre.

Analysis

outcome: The process proposed in the agenda report was adopted to allow the trustees of Deepcut Village Association to access and use the S106 funds for the Centre.

summary: The decision involves accessing and using S106 funds for the Deepcut Village Centre to ensure its maintenance and benefit for the community.

topline: The Executive has decided to adopt a process to allow the trustees of Deepcut Village Association to access and use S106 funds for the maintenance of the Deepcut Village Centre.

reason_contentious: This issue may be contentious as it involves financial governance and oversight of public funds, which could raise concerns among local stakeholders.

affected_stakeholders: ["Deepcut Village Association", "Council", "Local community members"]

contentiousness_score: 5

political_party_relevance: There are no mentions or implications of political parties or political influence on the decision.

URL: https://surreyheath.moderngov.co.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=809

Decision Maker: Executive

Outcome: Recommendations Approved

Is Key Decision?: No

Is Callable In?: No

Purpose:

Content: The Executive was informed that in 2003, as part of the planning permission for the Alma Dettingen development in Deepcut, a Community Centre had been built and transferred to the Council.  A contribution of £382,000 had been paid to the Council pursuant to the Section 106 agreement dated 23 March 2001, to ensure that the Centre was maintained throughout its whole life time for the benefit of the community in Deepcut. The Community Centre was currently leased to the trustees of the Deepcut Village Association, who managed the building on a day to day basis and held a full repairing lease with the Council.   Members were informed that there was currently no procedure in place to allow the trustees of the Centre to properly access funds, as this had not included within the terms of the current lease. A proposed process for accessing the funds was considered, which would enable the Centre to remain useful for the Deepcut community.   RESOLVED that   (i)     The process proposed in the agenda report be adopted to ensure that the Deepcut Village Centre S106 funds can be accessed and used by the trustees of Deepcut Village Association, who run the centre, appropriately but that a suitable level of transparency, oversight and financial governance is maintained to ensure the funds are used within the S106 agreement;   (ii)   authority to spend the S106 funds be delegated to officers with accountability for the fund in consultation with the Strategic Director of Finance & Customer Services and the Portfolio Holder for Performance & Finance, in line with the process set out in the agenda report;   (iii)  with the assistance of the Technical Services Manager, the trustees of the Deepcut Village Association be asked to produce a long term maintenance repair and replacement plan by 31 March 2025 to allow prudent financial planning to develop a maintenance fund to allow for maintenance once the S106 funds are exhausted.   Note: In accordance with the Members’ Code of Conduct, Councillor Morgan Rise declared a non-pecuniary interest as he was the Council’s appointed representative on the Deepcut Village Association, the management organisation for the Deepcut Village Centre.  

Date of Decision: August 20, 2024