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Staffordshire County Council cabinet members quizzed on decision to transfer Shugborough management
By Kerry.Ashdown | Posted: February 08, 2016
Shugborough Estate
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STAFFORDSHIRE County Council will borrow £20.5m over 50 years to pay the National Trust for taking back management of the Shugborough Estate, a scrutiny committee has been told today.
Members of the county council's corporate review committee raised concerns about not being informed earlier about the 50 year fixed rate loan, as well as questioning the lack of scrutiny before the council's cabinet approved the management transfer proposal.
The cabinet's decision was called in for scrutiny by 10 councillors.
Councillor Sheree Peaple, who led the call-in, told today's corporate review committee meeting: "The decision has caused considerable concern for a number of members. There seems to have been a remarkable lack of transparency in this decision.
"The reason I have asked for a call-in is to unpick the decision, to see whether it does offer good value for money for the people of Staffordshire. I'm not necessarily saying this is the wrong thing to do; we have to consider why, at a time of considerable austerity, we are handing over a huge sum of money."
The council is due to give the National Trust £20.5m, spread across three years, towards continuing and future costs of maintaining the Grade I listed stately home. The council took on a 99 year lease in the 1960s, but is now planning to surrender the lease 49 years early.
But councillors were told the transfer would save taxpayers around £35m in the long run, as the council would be paying just over £1 million a year in repayments, compared to around £1.7 million a year on maintenance costs if it continued to manage the tourist attraction.
The council was told by cabinet members Ian Parry and Mark Winnington that the National Trust had requested the process be kept confidential while talks between the two organisations were taking place, and the announcement of the transfer proposal had been made public at the earliest opportunity following the cabinet's decision.
The committee voted unanimously to back the cabinet's proposal.
Speaking after the meeting Councillor Parry, deputy leader and cabinet member for strategy, finance and corporate issues, said: "The county council's actions 50 years ago preserved Shugborough at a time when no-one else could afford to save it, but in 2016 we shouldn't be in the business of running stately homes.
"This agreement saves millions of pounds and lets us focus on the services we should be providing.
"I'm glad we've had the opportunity today to show this agreement makes sense for taxpayers and it makes sense for Shugborough; world-leading experts at the National Trust are going to invest in its future and develop it into a year-round major attraction."
Staffordshire County Council cabinet members quizzed on decision to transfer Shugborough management
By Kerry.Ashdown | Posted: February 08, 2016
Shugborough Estate
Comments (0)
STAFFORDSHIRE County Council will borrow £20.5m over 50 years to pay the National Trust for taking back management of the Shugborough Estate, a scrutiny committee has been told today.
Members of the county council's corporate review committee raised concerns about not being informed earlier about the 50 year fixed rate loan, as well as questioning the lack of scrutiny before the council's cabinet approved the management transfer proposal.
The cabinet's decision was called in for scrutiny by 10 councillors.
Councillor Sheree Peaple, who led the call-in, told today's corporate review committee meeting: "The decision has caused considerable concern for a number of members. There seems to have been a remarkable lack of transparency in this decision.
"The reason I have asked for a call-in is to unpick the decision, to see whether it does offer good value for money for the people of Staffordshire. I'm not necessarily saying this is the wrong thing to do; we have to consider why, at a time of considerable austerity, we are handing over a huge sum of money."
The council is due to give the National Trust £20.5m, spread across three years, towards continuing and future costs of maintaining the Grade I listed stately home. The council took on a 99 year lease in the 1960s, but is now planning to surrender the lease 49 years early.
But councillors were told the transfer would save taxpayers around £35m in the long run, as the council would be paying just over £1 million a year in repayments, compared to around £1.7 million a year on maintenance costs if it continued to manage the tourist attraction.
The council was told by cabinet members Ian Parry and Mark Winnington that the National Trust had requested the process be kept confidential while talks between the two organisations were taking place, and the announcement of the transfer proposal had been made public at the earliest opportunity following the cabinet's decision.
The committee voted unanimously to back the cabinet's proposal.
Speaking after the meeting Councillor Parry, deputy leader and cabinet member for strategy, finance and corporate issues, said: "The county council's actions 50 years ago preserved Shugborough at a time when no-one else could afford to save it, but in 2016 we shouldn't be in the business of running stately homes.
"This agreement saves millions of pounds and lets us focus on the services we should be providing.
"I'm glad we've had the opportunity today to show this agreement makes sense for taxpayers and it makes sense for Shugborough; world-leading experts at the National Trust are going to invest in its future and develop it into a year-round major attraction."
