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RESOLVED: Cabinet:

1.   
Approved the proposals for delivering Phases 2A (Towcester)
and 2B (Northampton) of the Office Optimisation
programme.

2.   
Noted the £5 million (m) budget for the building works
and £0.616m budget for IT equipment and works for Phase 2 of
the Office Optimisation programme proposed in the draft
budget.

3.   
Authorised the Director of Children’s Services in
consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Children, Families &
Education to consider the outcomes of consultation on relocation of
Towcester Children’s Centre and if justified to approve the
relocation of the Children’s Centre to the Forum.

4.   
Authorised the Assistant Director Assets & Environment in
consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Finance to:
a)   
Granted a lease of part of the Forum, Towcester to Towcester
Town Council in its capacity as trustee of the Towcester Community
Centre Trust (charity number 304254) as set out in 5.8. This lease
would be at no rent but would be in exchange for the surrender of
the lease held by the Trust over the current Towcester Community
Centre.
b)   
Granted a lease of the 1992 Guildhall extension (except the
parts of it retained with the historic Guildhall) and allied rights
and agreements to a developer or occupier following a competitive
disposal process.
c)   
Granted a lease of space at County Hall and an allied license
to use the Council Chamber and other relevant spaces to Northampton
Town Council.
 
RESONS RESOLVED:

1.   
To deliver efficient, effective, and economical services for
the people and businesses of West Northamptonshire.

2.   
To enable the Council to reduce revenue expenditure and
maximise opportunities to generate revenue and/or capital income
without adversely affecting services.

3.   
To make best use of the assets the Council would retain
direct use of.
 
ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS:
There are a very large number of possible options and
sub-options, meaning it would not be productive to list them all
here. Given the work undertaken to date it is suggested that the
key choice is whether to proceed with the schemes at all, and if so
whether to proceed in Northampton on the basis that Angel is the
main office base, with use made of space at County
Hall and the historic Guildhall as described
above.