Purpose

To approve the signing of the contract to have
Barclays Bank extend its provision of community banking in a
library meeting room on a regular basis (5 days per week) for 6
months until 9 January 2025, in line with steer from Informal
Property Sub-Committee of 7 February 2024

Content

Library Room Hire is a common source of
income, where facilities are available.
Room Hire is set with a scale of charges, which cover size of room,
and whether the hire is commercial.
Informal Property Sub-Committee steer on accommodating banks in
Council Buildings is to ensure that requests for accommodation are
treated on a commercial basis, with no suggestion that SCC is in a
partnership with a particular bank.

Alternative options considered

Turning the request for hire of space down, in
case of being seen to favour a particular bank. This issue was
dealt with by getting a steer from Informal Property Sub-Committee,
which concluded that the commercial opportunity can be open to any
approach while that opportunity is available and is not in
contradiction to the SCC service.

Not extending the hire of the space because of priority maintenance
requirements and imminent refurbishment works on the premises. This
has been resolved through Property Services, who need the lead-in
time to finalise works, and who can ensure temporary heating over
the winter months, if systems are failing.