The freehold of a community centre in Milton Keynes will be transferred to new owners for the princely sum of £1.
Milton Keynes Council has decided to make the transfer of Giffard Park Community Centre to Great Linford Parish Council (GLPC), which has plans to enhance services at the site, off Broadway Avenue.
Council leader Cllr Pete Marland (Lab, Wolverton) made the decision to proceed with the transfer at a delegated decisions meeting on Tuesday (March 17). The council has a policy of devolving its assets if it meets certain criteria.
Neil Sainsbury, the council’s head of placemaking, supported a report which said: “It is intended that this transfer will allow GLPC to further provide high quality improved provision of various leisure and community activities for the people of Great Linford and the wider Milton Keynes into the future.”
The borough council is not going to be saving much money by making the move, but will lose legal liability for the building. The community centre opened in 1985 and is being run by a management committee of local people.
Milton Keynes Council received an expression of interest from GLPC on
September 9, 2019. The move is also supported by the management committee, the meeting was told.
GLPC said: “The transfer of Giffard Park Community Centre provides clear value to the community; its financial position is positive and the resource implications for GLPC can be managed so as not to impact significantly on the GLPC finances.”
Borough officers agreed that GLPC demonstrated that they met the criteria in terms of being locally run, locally controlled, non-profit distributing, inclusive and democratic organisation.
“Their submission clearly demonstrated that as an organisation they meet the
requirements of the Devolution Approach for freehold transfer, and in the opinion of the relevant officers they have the required levels of experience of delivering services to the local community,” said Mr Sainsbury’s report.
The transfer will be for £1, subject to restrictive covenants, clawback and right to protect its interest in ensuring that the asset continues to be used for community-oriented purposes.
Even though the site is valued at £62,000 the council is allowed to offload it because it is vaued at less than £2 million, and is considered to benefit economic, social or environmental wellbeing.
Council decisions are normally posted on its website on Fridays, and are subject to a call-in period. If the decision is not called in either by members of the public, or councillors, it will be confirmed.
