At Wednesday’s full council meeting, Cllr Chris Welsford (Ventnor East) put a question to Cllr George Brown, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for the Economy and Regulatory Services about use of the Coastal Visitors Centre in Salisbury Gardens by the Ventnor Town Council (VTC).
The VTC has been working for many months on a project to create an Enterprise Hub (more detail to follow on this later) in Ventnor and approached the council to purchase the building, which has been on the list of council assets for disposal for some time, through the Community Asset Transfer Scheme.
Council to dispose of the building on the open market
In August, the VTC were informed by Cllr Pugh that “it is the intention of the IW Council to dispose of the building on the open market thus maximising the opportunity for a significant capital receipt.”
Cllr Welsford asked, “How does the Cabinet Member reconcile the requirements of the [Localism] Act with the Isle of Wight Council’s failure to consult [through Community Right to Bid] on the properties for disposal list and specifically on his and the Leader’s refusal to meet with representatives of Ventnor Town Council on their plans to create an Enterprise Hub for Ventnor in the Council owned Coastal Centre at Salisbury Gardens, a plan that would have created up to 35 jobs in my town and turned a Council owned property into a much needed commercial centre for Ventnor?”
Pugh: Valued at over £400,000
As Cllr Brown was absent from the meeting, the Leader, David Pugh answered on his behalf.
He said, “The Coastal Management Centre in Ventnor is estimated to be worth over £400,000 and it is unrealistic to expect this council to gift a property of this value to the town council.”
He went on to say that the IWC welcomes the initiative by the VTC and had committed officer time to working with the VTC to identify suitable alternative premises to support its aspirations.”
VTC should pay full value
He finished by saying that the VTC would have every opportunity to bid for the property when it is put on the open market, but added they would have to pay the full value.
Full details on the plans for the Enterprise Hub and the protracted negotiations with the Isle of Wight council to follow later today.
See the Clerk’s report on the matter
