Back in 2011, under the Isle of Wight council then-run by previous CEO Steve Beynon, life started getting difficult for the Riverside Centre in Newport and its boss, (now-county councillor) Richard Priest.
Lots of rumours circulated as to why this was.
Today brings the Centre which provides services and support for those with disabilities another step forward.
A brief recap
At the start of October 2011, a considerable increase in the yearly rent was discussed by the council.
What followed were a number of statements from the council about the Riverside Centre responded to by letters from readers.
A strange sensitivity around the Riverside Centre arose at the Council with people alleging the £150k/year boss of the council, Steve Beynon was personally vetting bookings at the Riverside, with him responding.
New direction
In December, the current administration indicated a new direction.
Fast forward to today, when the Isle of Wight council announced (below) that the council’s Executive will consider the option on 10th June.
Richard Priest’s running mate in Shanklin, Cllr Jon Gilbey, is quoted as he’s Executive member for Resources.
What follows is in the words of the council.
New long-term arrangements to develop the future operation of the Riverside Centre at Newport are due to be considered by the Isle of Wight Council’s Executive on 10 June.
The recommendations before the Executive are designed to help the centre broaden its community use and attract funding towards its long-term development. This will include establishing a group of ‘anchor organisations’ as a focus for the centre.
The centre is operated by the Riverside Centre Ltd, a registered charity, and the recommendations centre on agreeing a ‘community asset transfer’ arrangement with the charity.
This will involve the council entering into a 125-year full repairing lease at a peppercorn rent with the charity – and the waiving of the existing annual rent of £54,000, backdated to 1 October 2013.
The Riverside Centre was built in four phases from 1987, and the current 25-year lease, which started in October 2003, provides an annual rent to the council of £54,000, with five-yearly rent reviews. The current lease has been viewed as too restrictive in terms of the use it allows and a more viable arrangement has been sought.
The council’s Cabinet made a decision in September last year to explore the community asset transfer approach and to try to resolve outstanding lease issues before new arrangements were put in place.
The recommendations follow detailed discussions with the Riverside Centre Ltd – and it is hoped will go towards developing a positive future for the facility, and resolving outstanding issues surrounding the lease.
The report before the council’s Executive states that the existing lease arrangements are unsatisfactory and that the proposals offer a clear way forward that starts afresh.
Councillor Jon Gilbey, Executive member for resources, said:
“The recommendations have been developed following much detailed discussion and it is hoped will provide a basis for the long-term development of the centre and its use by the wider community and voluntary sectors.”
Update 5th June 2014
Papers going to the Executive Committee meeting are embedded below
