Issue - meetings

The Cabinet Member for Finance presented a report on proposals to greatly enhance the facilities at Manor Road Sports Ground via new lease arrangements with Academy of Dreams plc (AOD), an established company designed specifically to develop outdoor sports facilities at community sites, and Dagenham United Football Club (DUFC), a leading junior football club in the area.

DUFC, the current lessee, had been approached by AOD to develop the site to provide a new clubhouse and pavilion with changing rooms, new floodlit all-weather artificial turf pitches in addition to upgrading the current full size turf pitch, as well as associated fencing and CCTV.  The proposals had received planning permission in December 2010 and the intention was for AOD to meet all the costs of the project in return for a 35 year lease of the site at a commercial rent, with a sub-lease in favour of DUFC for the entire period.

Cabinet agreed:

(i)  To the surrender of the current lease of the site identified in the plan at Appendix 1 to the report from Dagenham United Football Club (DUFC);

(ii)  To grant an Agreement for Lease to Academy of Dreams plc to enable it to develop the site as a sports facility in accordance with the planning permission granted in December 2010, followed by the grant of a new lease for a term of 35 years to Academy of Dreams plc on the terms set out in the report;

(iii)  That the site be sub-let to the current lessees, DUFC, for the full 35 year period on the terms set out in the report;

(iv)  That the lease require the lessees to have appropriately trained first aiders on site at all times of activity and that all activities be adequately insured; and

(v)  To authorise the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Head of Legal and Democratic Services and Divisional Director of Finance, to negotiate, agree and complete the legal documentation to facilitate the transaction.