Agenda item - Grant of new leases Shoreham Airport

Report of the Executive Director for Economy, Environment & Culture (copy attached).

128.1  RESOLVED: That the Committee -

(i)            Authorised the grant of four new leases across the airport estate in line with draft Heads of Terms in Part II and subject to the delegation set out in recommendation (ii) below;

(ii)          Granted delegated authority to the Executive Director for Economy, Environment and Culture and Executive Lead Officer, Strategy Governance and Law to negotiate any further amendments to the Heads of Terms in order to secure the best position for the councils. Any proposed amendments to the Heads of Terms to be reported to Leaders Group prior to the granting of the four new leases;

(iii)         Granted delegated authority to the Executive Director for Economy, Environment and Culture and the Executive Lead Officer, Strategy Governance and Law to finalise the legal documents and to take any other necessary steps to give effect to the agreement described in the Heads of Terms.

128.1  The Committee considered the report of the Executive Director Economy, Environment & Culture regarding the grant of new leases at Shoreham Airport.

128.2  Councillor Mac Cafferty noted recommendation 2.2, and asked if any further amendments to the Heads of Terms could come back to the this committee rather than to Leaders Group. The Executive Director Economy, Environment & Culture said that the Leaders Group would only look at minor changes, and any major changes would come back to this committee. The Executive Lead Strategy Governance & Law said that any changes would be referred to the Leaders Group, and they would have the option of referring the matter back to the committee if they felt it was appropriate.  Councillor Peltzer Dunn suggested that if the Leaders Group were not unanimous in their decision that it would automatically come back to this committee. The Chief Executive said he understood the concerns, but if the changes were urgent it would preferable for the matter to be referred to an urgency sub-committee.

128.3  Councillor Yates welcomed the report and said it was one of the good things which were happening as part of the City Deal, and it was good that the Council were looking at issues which were outside of the city and that it supported the regeneration of the local area.

128.4  Councillor Sykes noted that an agreement needed to be made in March or April 2018 to ensure that the Tidal Walls Scheme could commence this year, and asked if there was assurance from officers that the Council was close to agreeing the lease and that the matter would not need to come back to either this Committee or the Leaders Group. The Executive Director Economy, Environment & Culture hoped that agreement could be reached on any outstanding issues, and a positive decision from this Committee would give the administrator assurance that we were moving forward which would allow them to enter into the necessary agreements to that they wish to do so to allow access for the flood defence wall works to commence.

128.5  Councillor Janio congratulated officers on the work undertaken, and agreed that any minor changes to the Heads of Terms could be considered by the Leaders Group.

128.6  RESOLVED: That the Committee -

(i)            Authorised the grant of four new leases across the airport estate in line with draft Heads of Terms in Part II and subject to the delegation set out in recommendation (ii) below;

(ii)          Granted delegated authority to the Executive Director for Economy, Environment and Culture and Executive Lead Officer, Strategy Governance and Law to negotiate any further amendments to the Heads of Terms in order to secure the best position for the councils. Any proposed amendments to the Heads of Terms to be reported to Leaders Group prior to the granting of the four new leases;

(iii)         Granted delegated authority to the Executive Director for Economy, Environment and Culture and the Executive Lead Officer, Strategy Governance and Law to finalise the legal documents and to take any other necessary steps to give effect to the agreement described in the Heads of Terms.