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Minutes – Property Sub-Committee – 26 May 2026

The agenda and papers for this meeting are available here: Property Sub-Committee – 26 May 2026 – 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 – 26 May 2026

PROPERTY SUB-COMMITTEE

Minutes

Date: 26 May 2026

Time: 11.00am to 12.23pm

Location: Chichester City Council Chamber

PRESENT: Councillors Butler, Loxton, Miall and Quail

ALSO IN ATTENDANCE: Town Clerk, Deputy Town Clerk, Council Services and Support Manager, Property Maintenance Manager (via Teams)

PROP2026/15 ELECTION OF CHAIR OF THE SUB-COMMITTEE

Decision: Proposed by Councillor Miall, seconded by Councillor Quail and RESOLVED that Councillor Loxton be elected as Chair of the Sub-Committee for 2026-2027

PROP2026/16 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Apologies had been received from Councillor Dominick.

Councillor Apel was absent.

PROP2026/17 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

There were none.

PROP2026/18 MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING

Decision: The minutes of the meeting held on 10 February 2026 were APPROVED as a correct record and signed.

PROP2026/19 MEETING TIMES

Decision: The Sub-Committee RESOLVED that meetings for the Council year 2026-2027 would take place at 11am.

PROP2026/20 UPDATE ON ACTIONS FROM PREVIOUS MEETING

The sub committee NOTED the following updates:

  • Electric Van – Members were advised that the old Renault Kangoo 2018 EV had been sold for £2K and replaced with Contract Hire Kia PV5 Cargo Long Range (Term 24 months – Initial Rental £1,956.54, followed by 23 rentals of £326.09). Further advised that all was going well with the new van.
  • Allotments – increase in charges met with approximately 10 leavers while others (single figures) had reduced plot sizes. It was reported that all plots were currently occupied and healthy waiting list.
  • Homeless have not used the Portico for sleeping and no roof climbers since last meeting.
  • Murray Nelson Statue – still awaiting LBC approval (Planning Adviser is managing this process).
  • Journey through Words Project – No Update

PROP2026/21 PROPERTY MAINTENANCE MANAGERS REPORT

The Sub-Committee considered the Property Maintenance Manager’s report and a wide ranging discussion followed regarding the scope, scale and schedule of works required at the Council House.

The Sub-Committee requested that the fire and alarm contract renewal date be noted so that alternative suppliers could be found.

The Sub-Committee noted the quotation for the costs of refurbishing the East Street painting and that these had been passed on to the painting owner along with a current valuation. We are awaiting a response on how they wish to proceed. The Sub-Committee requested an update at the next meeting on 25th August.

The Sub-Committee requested that the expiry date of the existing planning permission for the Old Courtroom (OCR) roof works be confirmed.

Decision: The Sub-Committee RESOLVED to appoint a specialist contractor to undertake the rainwater survey at a cost of £1,600 to inform the scope of the final design, to be funded from the Council House reserve.

Decision: The Sub-Committee RESOLVED to accept the recommendation in the confidential report and established a working group to report back to the meeting on 25th August 2026 with a proposal on the high-level options to be reviewed for the future of the Council House.

Decision: The Sub-Committee RESOLVED to place the OCR roof light replacement project on hold pending the redesign and final costs of the urgent roof repairs.

The Sub-Committee considered the two quotes received for the restoration works required on the Market Cross. The discrepancy between the quotations was largely due to the differences in approach to highways management and whether a lane rental scheme would need to be applied for the closure of West/South Street around the site whilst works were taking place. The Sub-Committee noted the current progress and that a full tender would be undertaken in the Autumn, when the grant funding situation would be clearer.

Councillor Butler left the meeting at 12.17pm

The Sub-Committee noted the funding situation and that there was currently £58K allocated in the annual budget and a further £20K in ear marked reserves for the delivery of the works. If the funding application is unsuccessful, this will leave a funding shortfall of up to £70K.

PROP2026/22 INFORMATION TO NOTE

The Sub-Committee NOTED receipt of the following information:

  • Allotments – Tenants are slow getting their plots ready this year and are having to be chased
  • Litten Gardens – War Memorial Restoration & Clean
  • Room bookings/occupancy rates – The Sub-Committee requested that the occupancy and booking reporting be provided by room. There was also concern that the bookings for the kitchen space were low. The Sub-Committee also requested that reporting by room should look at occupancy vs. a notional number of 1700 ‘bookable’ hours per year and to show booking trends vs previous years.

PROP2026/23 REVIEW OF ROOM HIRE CHARGES

The item was DEFERRED until the meeting on 25 August 2026, pending receipt of the Council House working group report.

PROP2026/24 ITEMS FOR NEXT AGENDA

  • Council House working group initial report
  • St Martins Garden
  • Review of hire charges

PROP2026/25 DATE OF NEXT MEETING

25 August 2026

The meeting closed at 12.23pm

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