Issue - meetings

Councillor Ric Metcalfe left the meeting during consideration of this item following his declaration of a disclosable pecuniary interest.

Councillor Donald Nannestad chaired the meeting for this item.

To seek Executive’s endorsement of the new five-year business plan from the Brayford Trust.

Decision

That the Brayford Trust’s five year business plan for 2019/20 to 2023/24 be endorsed and that the Brayford Trust is encouraged to work in a more transparent manner.

None.

The report enclosed the Brayford Trust’s Business Plan for 2019/20 to 2023/24, as set out at Appendix 1. The Business Plan set out the intentions of the Trust over the next five years and how the Trust had performed over the last 5 years.

The Brayford Trust, being both a company and registered charity, operated on a not for profit basis with a remit to manage, conserve and develop Lincoln’s Brayford Pool to the benefit of all.

In January 2010 the Trust entered into a revised lease with the Council for a term of 125 years, and a Management Agreement for the Pool for five years, which required the Trust to produce a five year business plan for the Council’s approval and to account to the Council for the delivery of such.

The lease set out a number of obligations for the Trust such as:

• to manage the Pool in accordance with the Trust’s charitable objectives;
• to keep the Brayford Pool open and available for recreational use by the public;
• to provide moorings;
• to keep the Pool in good condition;
• to maintain and where necessary to shore up and pile the natural banks;
• to use reasonable endeavours to ensure a sufficient depth of water for navigation by dredging the pool.

It was noted that the Trust was complying with these requirements and continued to make considerable improvements to the Pool since the revised lease was entered into.

A letter had been received by the Brayford Watch Group, which called for greater openness and transparency of the Brayford Trust.

It was reported that there was no requirement for the Trust to operate in an open and transparent manner, with their only legal obligations from the perspective of the City of Lincoln Council being to comply with the requirements of the lease.

Members agreed that the Brayford Trust should be encouraged to operate in a more open and transparent manner, reflecting that the Brayford was an important part of the city which the Trust was managing on behalf of the city’s residents and visitors.