The Overview & Scrutiny Board met to discuss the Cabinet's decision on the future of former library premises in Gidea Park, Harold Wood, and South Hornchurch. The Board voted to uphold a requisition of the Cabinet's decision, meaning the matter will be reconsidered by the Cabinet.

Former Library Premises Requisition

The Board considered a requisition of the Cabinet's decision regarding the future proposals for the former library premises in Gidea Park, Harold Wood, and South Hornchurch. The requisition was upheld by six votes to two, with one abstention. This means the Cabinet's decision will be reconsidered at a future meeting, with the Board's comments and recommendations included in the papers.

Gidea Park Library

The Cabinet had proposed repurposing the former Gidea Park Library site for a six-person accommodation facility for children with disabilities. This decision was called in due to concerns about the vagueness of the proposals, the lack of detail on alternative options explored, and the suitability of the location next to a building site. Officers explained that the facility would cater for children with both learning and physical disabilities, and that the proximity to the new SEND school would help mitigate significant cost pressures on children's services. The demolition of the existing library building was also discussed, with a capital budget of £120,000 requested for this purpose. Concerns were raised about the potential for this to be classified as revenue expenditure and the lack of a detailed business case for the proposed facility.

Harold Wood Library

The Cabinet's decision noted the ongoing evaluation of a proposal from the Harold Wood Foundation for the meanwhile use of the former Harold Wood Library. The Foundation has registered the building as an Asset of Community Value (ACV), which grants the community a six-month window to prepare a bid if the Council decides to sell the asset. The Cabinet's preference is for redevelopment of the site for housing, with the existing war memorial to be retained. Questions were raised about the timescales for the meanwhile use, the clarity of the proposals, and the process following the three-year break clause in the proposed lease.

South Hornchurch Library

The Cabinet agreed to the disposal of the former South Hornchurch Library site, with a portion of any capital receipt to be spent on upgrading the adjacent community hall. Demolition costs of approximately £110,000 were estimated, but a final decision on demolition would be subject to the evaluation of offers received following marketing of the site. Concerns were raised about the vagueness of proposals for the future use of the capital receipts and the lack of clarity on whether demolition costs would be capital or revenue expenditure. The decision to not propose the whole site for development was explained by the need to reprovision the existing nursery and community hall, which would require substantial upfront investment and prolong the timescale for generating a capital receipt.

Delegation of Authority

A significant point of discussion throughout the meeting was the delegation of authority to the Assistant Director of Regeneration & Place Shaping to progress and conclude asset disposals. Concerns were raised about the lack of involvement of the relevant Cabinet Member in these decisions and the thresholds for when matters should be brought back to the full Cabinet. Recommendations were made to ensure that any final decisions on asset disposals are taken back to Cabinet and that a comparative analysis of business cases for alternative options is presented.

Other Points Raised

• Business Cases: There was a strong emphasis on the need to see detailed business cases for all proposed options, including comparative financial analyses, before decisions are made.
• Local Children: Assurances were sought that the proposed respite centre would primarily cater for local children, although it was acknowledged that neighbouring authorities might be considered if there was excess capacity.
• Timing of Information: A request was made for call-in response documents to be provided to members a few days before meetings to allow for adequate review.
• Demolition Costs: The certainty of demolition cost estimates was questioned, with clarification sought on whether these were firm estimates or indicative figures.
• Financial Position: The impact of the Council's current financial situation on decision-making was discussed, with a suggestion that the financial position may have driven officers towards shorter-term options.

The Board's comments and recommendations, which will be included in the papers for the Cabinet meeting, focused on the need for greater clarity on the Gidea Park site's suitability and the disabilities to be catered for, the future of the Harold Wood Library after the three-year break clause, the availability of the respite centre for local children, the delegation of authority to officers, and the requirement for detailed business plans.