Issue - meetings

Division/Wards Affected: All

Purpose: To seek Cabinet approval to accept the surrender of the lease between Monmouthshire County Council and the Borough Theatre Trust dated October 2013 which transferred a leasehold interest of Abergavenny Theatre to the newly formed Borough Theatre Trust. In so doing, to recognise that the Management Agreement entered into by both parties is brought to an end and that Abergavenny Theatre will return to the ownership and control of Monmouthshire County Council. The Borough Theatre Trust is in agreement with this course of action and will cease to operate and seek to de-register itself on conclusion of this hand-over.

The Council will review all operations of Abergavenny Theatre in the following six months and bring forward an options appraisal as a subsequent report to Cabinet for the medium term future of the Theatre. No options will be brought forward for consideration that exceed resources available within the approved Medium Term Financial Plan.

Author: Kellie Beirne, Deputy Chief Executive

Contact Details: kelliebeirne@monmouthshire.gov.uk

To agree to terminate forthwith the Council’s lease and consequently it’s Management Agreement with the Borough Theatre Trust for Abergavenny Theatre.

In agreeing 2.1, to absolve in absolute terms all Borough Theatre trustees of any outstanding repairs and maintenance liabilities for the building. These are estimated to be £119,611 and will fall to the Council if a viable model for the Theatre beyond the initial 6 month period is arrived at.

The Council agrees to undertake a TUPE transfer of six existing Theatre employees on their existing terms and conditions. In doing so Cabinet accepts that it enters into a risk of needing to meet severance costs for these individuals if a viable ongoing model for the Theatre is not found.

To agree that existing resources from the Council’s Economy and Enterprise team be deployed to provide leadership and management support for the six month period in which the future viability of the theatre is being considered.