Agenda and draft minutes

Additional Meeting - Harlequin, Overview and Scrutiny Committee - Thursday, 9th January, 2025 7.30 pm

Venue: New Council Chamber - Town Hall, Reigate. View directions

Contact: Democratic Services (01737 276182)  Email: Democratic@reigate-banstead.gov.uk

Media

Items
No. Item

60.

Minutes

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the previous meeting.

To confirm as a correct record the exempt Minutes of the previous meeting.

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

An amendment to the minutes from the previous meeting held on 5 December 2024 was requested and agreed.

The following sentence was added to page 9 of the minutes under the heading “Bring Sites”:

In response to a question from a Member, the Portfolio Holder agreed to prioritise the closure of bring sites in those areas, particularly in the north of the borough, where recycling is already collected from the kerbside at almost all addresses.

The original minutes have been amended and re-published.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the previous meeting held on 5 December 2024 be approved and signed, subject to the above amendment.

RESOLVED that the Exempt minutes of the previous meeting held on 5 December 2024 be approved and signed.

61.

Apologies for absence and substitutions

To receive any apologies for absence and notification of any substitute Members in accordance with the Constitution.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Buttironi, Councillor Blacker was his substitute.

62.

Declarations of interest

To receive any Declarations of Interest (including the existence and nature of any Party Whip).

Additional documents:

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

63.

Harlequin Theatre Options Assessment and Next Steps

To note the report on Harlequin Theatre Options Assessment and Next Steps and to make comments and observations to the Executive for consideration at their meeting on 30 January 2025.

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Biggs, Leader of the Council, introduced the Harlequin Theatre Options Assessment and Next Steps.

The Leader understood the strong feelings and interest in resolution of the situation with the Harlequin as demonstrated by the public attendance at this and at previous meetings, through feedback received at last October’s public engagement sessions, and the numbers who attended the public meeting organised by the Reigate and Redhill Society in December. The situation was not desirable, but the safety risks associated with Reinforce Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) were paramount.

The Leader drew attention to the following points:

The critical red nature of the RAAC panels meant that this would take time to resolve.

The documents included indicative costs of £10million to tackle the RAAC and reinstate the Harlequin broadly as it was. However, consideration must be given to whether the ambition should be bigger, and there was a need to be mindful of the uncertainties which surround the cost of RAAC removal, both of which could result in a larger capital budget requirement.

There was an intention to leave the service budget unchanged for the forthcoming financial year. When more detailed proposals were presented to Executive these would include considering whether any proposed budget amendments would be required, for either 2025/26 or beyond.

At their meeting on 30th January 2025, the Executive would consider specific recommendations relating to supporting previous community hirers and investing in arts development, with further Executive reports required regarding the future of the Harlequin in the Warwick Quadrant and the potential for an interim fixed venue.

Additionally, the Leader stated that it was important to acknowledge the competing pressures and priorities for how large amounts of public money are used, and the importance of ensuring that the Council only pays for what it is responsible for.

The Leader noted the representations he had received directly from members of the public and thanked them; he also reassured residents that the Executive would take their views and ideas into account when considering the way forward.

Several advance questions on the Harlequin Theatre Options Assessment and Next Steps had been submitted prior to the meeting. The advance questions and their responses can be viewed here:

Document Advance Questions and Answers OS 9 January 2025 Harlequin | Reigate and Banstead Borough Council

The Leader, Councillor Biggs invited Members to ask questions and comment on the Harlequin Theatre Options Assessment and Next Steps report provided in the agenda pack.

Clarifications from advance questions

In response to the questions raised, the following clarifications were provided:

Following on from advance question 1, more detail was requested on the in-house and third-party operating models being explored. It was explained that at this early stage, options could only be progressed so far before there was certainty around the outcome of the recommendations to be made to Executive on 30 January 2025. The Leader confirmed that he had met with Trafalgar Entertainment who run the Orchard Theatre in Dartford, including its temporary venue.

Following on from advance question  ...  view the full minutes text for item 63.

64.

Exempt Business

RECOMMENDED that members of the Press and public be excluded from the meeting for parts of item 7 under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Ac 1972 on the grounds that:

i.  It involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12 A of the Act;

and

ii. The public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Item to be discussed:

·         Item 4 Harlequin Theatre Options Assessment and Next Steps

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The exempt business was discussed during the exempt part of the meeting due to the confidential nature of the discussions held.

RESOLVED that Overview & Scrutiny Committee:

Noted the exempt information regarding the Harlequin Theatre Options Assessment and Next Steps as set out in the report.

During this item the time reached 10.30pm. The Committee agreed to continue discussing this item and to defer item 6 to the following meeting scheduled for 23 January 2025.

65.

Overview and Scrutiny Committee Forward Work Programme

To consider and agree any changes to the schedule for Overview and Scrutiny Committee’s Forward Work Programme 2024/25 and to consider the Action Tracker from the previous meeting.

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

This item was deferred to the following meeting scheduled for 23 January 2025.

66.

Executive

To consider any items arising from the Executive which might be subject to the ‘call-in’ procedure in accordance with the provisions of the Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules set out in the Constitution.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

It was reported that there were no items arising from the Executive that might be subject to the “call-in” procedure in accordance with the provisions of the Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules.

67.

Any other urgent business

To consider any item(s) which, in the opinion of the Chairman, should be considered as a matter of urgency - Local Government Act 1972, Section 100B(4)(b).

 

(NOTE: Under the Committee and Sub-Committee Procedure Rules set out in the Constitution, items of urgent business must be submitted in writing but may be supplemented by an oral report.)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

There was no urgent business.