The CEPAC campaign
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Council sale of Victoria Hall nears deadline
The Charity Commission has set a date of 2 April for a decision on the Council's plan to sell the Victoria Hall. The Council needs permission to include the Trust property in its planned sale of the Town Hall to hotel developer Mastcraft. There are conditions for this. Some have been met, but the Commission is insisting that a new trustee body should be set up, with independent members who would have the power to reject the Council plan if it is thought not to be in the interests of the Trust. On 2 March, the Council approved a plan to create a new trust board with three independent members. Two have already been appointed. However the conditions when members must recognise a conflict of interest between the needs of the trust and the wishes of the Council, when councillors will have to abstain from voting, have not yet been spelt out. In these circumstances the independents can act alone. . Third Trustee needed An advertisement for a third independent member has been published. CEPAC is encouraging anyone who wants to preserve the Trust and its historic Victoria Hall to apply. Applications can be made up to 28 March; see details here.. . A selection will not be made until the end of April and the Friends of Victoria Hall, of which CEPAC is a member, has urged the Commission not to give clearance to the Council scheme until it has met all the conditions. If this has not been done by 2 April, a new public consultation will have to take place before any sale can go ahead. |