Agenda item

To consider lease arrangements for the facilities at the Valley Stadium.

Members were asked to agree to the surrender of the existing Redditch United Football Club lease and the granting of a new 30-year lease at a concessionary rent, to support the Club in its project to provide facilities to the wider community of Redditch, including the provision of a third generation (3G) Astro Turf Pitch (ATP) at the Valley Stadium.

As detailed under Leader’s Announcements (Minute No. 100 refers), this was a Key Decision which had not appeared on the published Executive Work Programme as the Club had been seeking external finance towards the scheme and it had not been known if this would be successful.  As progress had been made with this a decision was needed quickly in order to secure the funds.  The Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee had been informed of the position. 

Members noted the key areas for community benefit detailed in paragraph 3.6 of the report.  It was agreed that the surrender of the existing lease and grant of the new lease at a concessionary rent was justifiable on the basis of the resulting benefits to the community and well-being of the Borough.  The Heads of Terms for the new lease, as appended to the report and which also set out the terms of future rent reviews, were noted.  Without the concessionary rent being agreed the business case prepared by the Club would not be seen as realistic and achievable by the funding bodies as it would prevent the Club from borrowing the amount of capital required to finance the match-funding element of the project. 

Members expressed their thanks to all those at the Club and to Chris Swan, owner and Chairman, for their continuing hard work to improve the Club and its facilities.  Best wishes were also sent to Mr Swan’s wife Sallie, Vice-Chairman of the Club, who was currently unwell.  Thanks were also expressed to the Football Association in supporting the Club’s efforts and to Officers for their continuing endeavours in working with the Club, and Members looked forward to seeing the benefits that the new facilities would bring to the town.  This included the launch of a full-time academy at the Valley Stadium, which was being run in partnership with Bournville College.

RESOLVED that

1)           the existing Redditch United Football Club Limited lease be surrenderedand a new 30-year lease be granted to the Club; and

2)           within the terms of the new lease for the Valley Stadium there be no increase of rent applied over and above the current rent of the site, and the rent of £2,000 per annum be reviewed in line with section 3.4 of the report until the expiry of the new lease in 2046.

(Prior to consideration of this item, Councillor Pat Witherspoon declared an Other Disclosable Interest in this matter in view of the fact that her grandson played football for one of Redditch United’s junior teams.  Councillor Witherspoon remained in the room and participated in the consideration of, and voting on, this matter.

Jayne Pickering (Director of Finance and Resources) withdrew from the meeting for this item and took no part in the consideration/discussion of this, as her son played football for the Club’s first team.)