Decision Details

On 25 April 2023, Cabinet:-

(i)       Authorised the provision of an additional £1.500m grant funding funded from corporate resources as match to support an increased bid of £4.632m by CHT jointly with BCC to the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF). This increases the total grant from the City Council to £3.500m, including £0.150m for the development phase;

(ii)       Authorised the underwrite of a further £1.000m of fundraising by the CHT, taking the total underwrite to £2.000m in support of the NLHF bid for grant funding for the refurbishment of Highbury Hall;

(iii)      Authorised the Strategic Director Place, Prosperity and Sustainability (PPS) to submit a grant application to NLHF jointly with CHT for full delivery grant of £4.632m;

(iv)      Authorised the Strategic Director PPS to accept the NLHF grant and to place orders and disbursements as appropriate to complete the Highbury project, noting the inclusion of a procurement of capital works contractors for both the mansion and landscape up to a total value of £9.600m, subject to successful Delivery Phase fundings from NLHF;

(v)      Approved the release of funding for development stage fees up to and including RIBA Stage 3;

(vi)      Authorised the Director Council Management to update the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Council and CHT as required prior to the full application to NLHF in August and as required during the project delivery;

(vii)     Authorised the novation of the CHT appointed professional team (Architectural Design Team, Interpretation Planner and Designer, Quantity Surveyor, Project Manager, Business Planner, Evaluation Consultant) from CHT to the Council, PPS Directorate, subject to successful Delivery Phase funding from NLHF;

(viii)    Noted that the balance of the £2.000m sum approved in September 2018 as match funding towards the Highbury Hall restoration and refurbishment works is still subject to the submission of a satisfactory business case to be approved by the Director Council Management which reduces and eventually eliminates the ongoing revenue cost to the Council. This sustainable business proposition will also form part of the final NLHF submission by CHT;

(ix)      Noted that there remains approval to drawdown of up to £0.150m for the development phase from the £2.000m capital funding allocated by Cabinet on 18 September 2018, subject to successful NHLF funding approval, noting that, should the project not proceed to delivery stage then this capital sum becomes repayable to the council. To date £0.070m of the £0.150m has been drawn down;

(x)      Authorised the City Solicitor to negotiate, execute and complete all relevant documentation to give effect to the above recommendations.