MINUTES of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 8 July 2004. 
PRESENT: Councillor J A Kite (Vice-Chairman) (in the Chair) Councillor A D Allen
Councillor A R Martin, Councillor B E Read, Councillor Mrs P A Thurlow.
  
85. DARTFORD FOOTBALL CLUB AND PRINCES GOLF AND LEISURE CLUB (C) 
Further to minute 37 (see below), Members were updated on the actions taken since the last report to Cabinet on this matter and endorsement was sought on further actions to pursue this project.
 
Advisory Panel Members had discussed the ongoing association with the current lessees, together with the associated costs involved. Officers had noted Members concerns but had said that the Council did not have sufficient spare resource to manage the site internally, and that given the progress to date, and the closeness of a resolution, the existing arrangements were probably most suitable and will avoid future complications.
 
The Project Director gave an update with regard to the negative comments expressed in a recent press article. He confirmed that all staff were now aware of the current status and that Leisure Connections had now nominated a single person for future communications with the press.
 
Members questioned this arrangement and asked the Project Director inform Leisure Connections that all future communications with the press will be made through the Council.
 
RESOLVED: 
That the status of following actions being taken by Officers to pursue this project be noted and agreed:
 
The development brief has been amended following the discussion at Cabinet on 13 May 2004 and the views of the Dartford Football Club and The Leigh City Technology College having been obtained thereon. The brief has now been finally amended and approved in consultation with the Managing Director and Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet.
 
Meetings have been held with Dartford Football Club and inspections have been arranged of various football grounds which have been recently developed or are currently being developed to enable details of the design to be considered at an early stage.
 
Expressions of interest have been received from the 10 parties listed in the report. The Council will continue to actively seek interest from potential developers, partners and designers.
 
A Transport Brief for the site has been prepared. Quotations are being sought from transport consultants to determine suitable access arrangements for 
the site.
 
Information is being obtained from other local authorities who have dealt with football ground developments and who are involved in leasing them to football clubs in their area to inform discussions.
 
The Sports Development Officer is investigating the alternative sources of grant-funding that may be available to the Football Club and/or the Council now that the Council has committed £2 million pounds to this project. 8
 

From previous meeting 3.6.04 
 
37. DARTFORD FOOTBALL CLUB AND PRINCES GOLF AND LEISURE CLUB (C) 
Further to minute 8, the Chairman welcomed the report, which sought Members’ endorsement of the actions taken and being taken to pursue this project, following the decision of Cabinet on 13 May 2004. In his introduction he noted the tight deadlines, so as to achieve the football ground being open for use in the 2006/07 season. 

The Advisory Panel had asked for clarification on how the financing proposed for the site was to be distributed. The Project Director had replied that the money assigned so far was to be used to provide a football ground. The commercial development of hotel and conferencing facilities will be considered separately and, although the bowls and golfing facilities themselves are not being enhanced, they will benefit from the facilities being provided for the football ground (e.g. car parking). 

Members asked whether members of the bowls club had been informed of plans for their future on the site. The Project Director replied that they had not been contacted to date. The Managing Director added that, until the access to the site had been agreed, it was not known whether the current location of the bowls club will have to be moved or not. 
The Chairman emphasised the urgent need for a site plan, so that those affected by this development could be informed and reassured of the Council’s intentions. 
At the Advisory Panel meeting it had been noted that the proposed date for the next updating report to Cabinet should have read 8 July 2004 and not 15 July 2004. 

RESOLVED: 
1. That the following actions being taken by Officers to pursue this project be agreed: 
· PMP Consultants Limited have been asked to finalise their initial report and options review to complete the work commissioned in December 2003. 
·The Project Director has commenced investigations into football grounds, which have recently been developed or are currently being developed, to enable a decision to be made on the brief for the ground in due course. 
·The Development Brief has been amended following the discussion at Cabinet and issued to Dartford Football Club and The Leigh City Technology College, seeking their views on the contents thereof. 
· Meetings are being arranged with Dartford Football Club and The Leigh City Technology College, to discuss the matter further. 
· A Pin Notice (Prior Information Notice) was issued on 21 May 2004, together with the subsequent issue of the Negotiated Procedure Notice for the Official Journal on the same date. This is to commence the EC Procurement procedure to enable Members to select one development organisation to take the site’s development and the design and construction of the new football stadium forward in partnership with the Council. 
2. That a further updating report be submitted to Cabinet on 8 July 2004.