Issue - meetings

To approve the principle of the granting of a new lease of the former tourist information office in Walton following its relocation.

Cabinet approved, in principle, the granting of a new lease of the site.

There was submitted a report by the Portfolio Holder for Enforcement and Community Safety (Report A.2), which sought Cabinet’s approval, in principle, for the granting of a new lease of the former tourist information centre in Walton-on-the-Naze, following its relocation.

Cabinet was aware that the Council owned the freehold of the former tourist information office in Walton-on-the-Naze, which was situated on the seafront opposite the High Street and close to the town centre. The building was semi detached, with the other side being an established kiosk.  The tourist information centre had closed after the 2015 summer season and had been relocated to the new visitor centre at The Naze.

Cabinet was informed that the site had now been fully marketed and details had been sent out to those persons who had previously expressed an interest in that kind of property.  Two tenders had been received and evaluated, resulting in one tenderer being identified as the strongest in terms of the use of the site, jobs creation and regeneration and the other as the strongest in terms of financial gain. It was the Officers’ recommendation to grant a lease of the site to the first party in terms of use, job creation and regeneration of the site, due to the prominent location on the seafront.  Further details of the tenders and evaluation process were set out in item B.1 of the Report of the Portfolio Holder for Enforcement and Community Safety.

Having considered the information provided together with the advice of Officers:-

It was moved by Councillor G V Guglielmi, seconded by Councillor Turner and:-

RESOLVED that Cabinet approves, in principle, the granting of a new lease of the site.