Minutes – Property Sub-Committee – 25 November 2025
The agenda and papers for this meeting are available here: Property Sub-Committee – 25 November 2025 – agenda and papers
The minutes of this meeting are presented below.
You can also download a PDF copy of the minutes here: Minutes – Property Sub-Committee – 25 November 2025
PROPERTY SUB-COMMITTEE
Minutes
Date: Tuesday 25 November 2025
Time: 11.00am to 12.14pm
Location: The Council Chamber, The Council House, North Street, Chichester. PO19 1LQ
PRESENT: Councillors Loxton (SL), Apel (CA), Miall (RMi) and Quail (SQ (from 11.54am)
ALSO IN ATTENDANCE: Town Clerk (TC) (from 11.17am), Deputy Town Clerk (DTC), Property Maintenance Manager (PMM) (via Teams), Council Services and Support Manager (CSSM)
PROP2025/13. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies were noted from Councillors Butler and Scicluna.
Members were advised that Councillor Quail was hoping to join the meeting later
PROP2025/14. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
No declarations of interest were made
PROP2025/15. MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING
The minutes of the previous meeting held on 26 August 2025 were discussed. There were no objections to the accuracy of the minutes, and they were approved for signing.
Decision: AGREED that the minutes of the meeting of the Property Sub-Committee held on 26 August 2025 be accepted and signed by the Chair as an accurate record.
It was noted that updates on some items from the previous minutes, specifically the statuary and public art working group and the Charles I bust loan agreement, were not included in the current agenda.
Decisions: AGREED that these items would be rolled over to the next agenda for further discussion.
PROP2025/16. UPDATE ON ACTIONS FROM PREVIOUS MEETING
The Chair mentioned that they had intended to review the formatting of some reports, particularly the statistical reports regarding room occupancy rates, with the PMM, but had not had the chance to do so.
He advised that this task would be carried forward to the next meeting.
The PMM provided updates on various actions, noting that the task to create a budget working group was deemed unnecessary due to ongoing budget workshops.
He also mentioned the need to send out a note regarding statistics, which had not been fully absorbed by members.
Discussions included the importance of understanding income versus utilisation, with suggestions to improve reporting for better clarity on occupancy and income.
Task: Review the formatting of reports concerning occupancy – PMM
Task: Send out a note regarding statistics to members – PMM
PROP2025/17. PROPERTY MAINTENANCE MANAGERS REPORT
The PMM summarised his report that had been circulated with the agenda, outlining the completed projects and providing updates.
He reported that repairs to the emergency lights were an ongoing activity so he would remove them from future reports.
The Market Cross condition survey report was mentioned, with the PMM advising that significant repairs were needed that would affect the City Council’s budget. The PMM advised that he expected to receive the costs from the surveyor by the end of the week.
Councillors also discussed the possibility of temporary repair works that could be managed within the current budget, emphasising the importance of addressing immediate health and safety risks while planning for more extensive repairs.
Decision: AGREED to defer the detailed discussion regarding works on the Market Cross to the next meeting of the Sub-Committee so that the costs could be included in their considerations.
Members discussed the roof works project and the selection of a company to manage the works.
Councillors discussed a revised letter that had been received from Copperstone surveyors regarding the proposed schedule for the works
They also discussed the budget that had been allocated for the roof.
Concerns were raised about the small number of quotes that had been received from surveyors, the credibility of the bids received and the need for a transparent decision-making process.
Decision: AGREED that the roof works would be included in the next meeting agenda to allow for Councillors to consider the proposals in more depth and to make a formal decision.
The PMM outlined the history behind the Roman Amphitheatre fencing project and explained about the need to reclaim some plots of land that had been previously licenced to local residents but that had now fallen in to disuse.
He advised the Sub-Committee that one of the residents maintained the plot in a good condition and he was proposing negotiating a new licence with an attached rental sum to allow this to continue.
Members were informed that, where the plots had not been maintained, the legal advice that had been received was to issue 12 months notice to the relevant residents, after which the land would formally revert back to the City Council and the fencing replacement project could continue.
The PMM reported that the legal costs for this process would be £1,200+VAT.
Decision: AGREED to proceed with the legal processes as outlined by the PMM and to send notices to all residents and formalise rental agreements as appropriate.
Decision: AGREED to delegate authority to the Town Clerk and Property Maintenance Manager to negotiate a suitable rent for the plot that had been proposed for re-licencing.
Task: Send notices to residents regarding the Roman Amphitheatre fencing project and formalise rental agreements where applicable. @PMM
The PMM reminded Members about the Papertrail asset management system that had been introduced to manage the City Council’s assets.
He explained that the system had broader uses beyond the original intent, including inspection schedules and asset audits; and that this had highlighted the need for additional licences.
The PMM explained that, while the system as installed included a range of useful reports, he felt that it was necessary to commission City Council specific reports to fully exploit the data.
Members were informed that the costs for the upgrades would be:
- £1,440 per annum for 4 additional users (with one additional user free)
- £240 per annum for the bespoke reporting
- £500 one off set up fee
- TOTAL – one off cost of £2,180 (+ VAT) with £1,680 (+ VAT) ongoing annual charge
Decision: AGREED the expenditure for additional licences and bespoke reporting for the Papertrail asset management software.
PROP2025/18. INFORMATION TO NOTE
The Sub-Committee reviewed the information summarised in the Property Maintenance Managers report, including updates on allotments and room bookings/occupancy rates.
Members were informed that the allotment holders were preparing their plots for winter, with no major issues and only two vacancies.
The Sub-Committee discussed the reports on room bookings and reiterated the need to improve the reporting to allow more detailed analysis of usage rates and income.
Councillors highlighted the need for improved marketing and utilisation of facilities, particularly regarding the commercial kitchen which had not yet achieved the anticipated return on the City Council’s recent investment to upgrade the facilities
The committee agreed to review the current marketing plan and consider external resources to enhance booking rates.
Task: Review the current marketing plan for room bookings and consider external resources to enhance booking rates. @PMM
PROP2025/19. MARKET CROSS INSPECTION REPORT
This had already been discussed and recorded under minute reference PROP2025/17.
PROP2025/20. PAPERTRAIL ASSET MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE IMPROVEMENTS
This had already been agreed and actions have been recorded under minute reference PROP2025/17.
PROP2025/21. ITEMS FOR NEXT AGENDA
- Notes and recommendations from the meeting of the Statuary and Public Art Working Group meeting held on 17 June 2025.
- Update on the Charles the First bust loan agreement.
- Council House roof project
- Market Cross condition report and future actions – subject to receipt of costs and urgency of the work
- Marketing of Council House facilities and improving occupancy rates.
PROP2025/22. DATE OF NEXT MEETING
Next Ordinary Meeting – February 10th 2026 – 11:00 AM.
The meeting closed at 12.14pm