Issue - meetings

A report setting out the options appraisal for the site of the former Priory Road Medical Centre.

Portfolio Holder - Councillor Peter Butlin

The business for the meeting was reordered so that this item was brought forward to be considered immediately after Public Speaking.

Councillor Isobel Seccombe, (Leader of the Council) reminded Cabinet that a report earlier in the year had sought permission to purchase the Priory Road Medical Centre.  Following that purchase, an options appraisal for use of the building had been conducted as comprehensively detailed in the report and appendices.  The options appraisal had resulted in a recommendation to lease the site to South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust (NHS SWFT) to enable its short to medium term use for the delivery of outpatient support in Warwick.  The reasons to support this option and reject the other options were set out in the report.

Councillor Seccombe reflected on the issues that had been raised by the Public Speaker, noting the importance of Packmores to support the community in an identified area of need.  Councillor Seccombe noted crossover with the adult social care and health and communities portfolios of Councillors Margaret Bell and Heather Timms and gave a commitment to to meet with Packmores as, after considering the appraisal in the report, she did not believe that this site presented a solution to the problems faced by the community. 

Councillor Margaret Bell considered the provision of outpatient facilites at this site would be of some benefit to the community.  She had opened a dialogue with the Managing Director of SWFT about provision for Packmores and was open to supporting the Leader to seek a solution.  Councillor Heather Timms was similarly supportive of efforts to work together to find a solution which would be helpful to Packmores.

Councillor John Holland considered that the venue had been the subject of a long running project to deliver services in a way that the community wished to receive them and which could be accessed locally.  Referring to the options appraisal set out in the report, he considered that if previous discussions as part of the JSNA had been referenced which suggested that stakeholders would take on refurbishment of the building, Packmores would have been the preferred option.  He did not consider that administrative or outpatient services targeted the local community and that a project which maximised the expertise of The Gap who ran the centre at Packmores, and had committed their support, would be more beneficial.  

Councillor Seccombe saw synergies between the issues presented by the Public Speaker and the Cost of Living report considered elsewhere on the agenda and also with the county’s levelling up agenda.  It was important to limit duplication and map out the facilities available in communities so that support could be provided where needed.  She therefore considered that it was appropriate to support the recommendations.

Resolved:

That Cabinet approves the lease of the property formerly known as Priory Road Medical Centre (as shown edged red on the plan at Appendix 2 to the report) to South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust (NHS SWFT) on terms and conditions considered acceptable to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3