Purpose

It is recommended that Cabinet approves entry
into 15 new leases with Voluntary and Charitable Sector Service
Providers of six years, 364 days and six-month tenant breaks by
September 2026 to enable continued delivery of open-access youth
services and complimentary ancillary services.

Content

RESOLVED:
 

That Cabinet approves entry into 15
new leases with Voluntary and Charitable Sector Service Providers
of six years, 364 days and a six-month no-fault break clauses by
September 2026 to enable continued delivery of open-access youth
services and complimentary ancillary services.

 

That Cabinet notes that the Council
will continue to fund utility, health and safety and compliance
costs for the 15 Voluntary and Charitable Sector operated youth
centres’ delivery of open-access provision from Land and
Property Budgets for 2026/27. Running costs arising from
third-party hirer organisations will be met by separate VCS service
provider income generation schemes not connected to open-access
provision.

 

That Cabinet approves delegation of
authority to the Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Lifelong
Learning, the Executive Director of Children, Families and Lifelong
Learning, and the Director of Family Resilience and Safeguarding to
negotiate and finalise 15 new Funding Agreements for open-access
provision between the parties to facilitate the Heads of
Terms.

 

That Cabinet approves delegation of
authority to the Deputy Chief Executive, Executive Director of
Resources and Section 151 Officer, and the
Director of Land and Property in consultation with the Cabinet
Member for Property and Waste, to negotiate and finalise the
Heads of Terms, Leases, and all associated documentation agreed
between the parties to facilitate the proposals.

 

That Cabinet authorises Legal
Services to seal the Leases and the Funding Agreements.

 
Reasons for
Decisions:
 

Continued delivery of the service by
valued Voluntary and Charitable Sector (VCS) service providers is
critical to business continuity aligned with local strategic
priorities and the Government’s Youth Matters – The
National Youth Strategy. VCS operated youth centres provide
sufficient educational and recreational leisure activities across
Surrey and are safe places and spaces which are accessible and
visible in local communities, supporting the emotional well-being,
personal growth, and social development of Surrey resident children
and young people aged 10-19 years. 

 

Entry into 15 new six year, 364-day
leases regularises the property
portfolio, enabling the key aspects of social and community value
to be achieved, and offering VCS service providers with stability
and security in the meantime.

 

Roles and responsibilities for the
property, open-access service delivery and oversight by the Council
is clearly defined through Funding Agreements and appropriate
monitoring. VCS service providers can continue to retain income
generated through the properties and access grant funding, usually
requiring a confirmed minimum of five years tenure, to deliver
complimentary ancillary services.

 
(The decisions on
this item can be called-in by the
Communities, Environment and Highways Select Committee or the
Resources and Performance Select Committee