Former South Gloucestershire library sale revoked
The former library in Kingswood will become a youth and community centre and offices for the town council.
South Gloucestershire Council has revoked the decision it made nearly 10 years ago to sell the building in the High Street, which shut in 2019 when the library moved across the road into the civic centre.
Cabinet member for corporate resources Cllr Adam Monk (Labour, Filton) has agreed with officers’ recommendation to cancel the sale and instead approve a 15-year lease to the town council, which wants to spend £400,000 to refurbish and convert the vacant property to give it a new lease of life.
A decision notice published on the council’s website said the first two years would be rent-free before the town council would be charged an initial £30,000 a year, with this rising to at least £41,176 after five years.
It said: “The proposed letting would secure rental income for the council, reduce repair and maintenance liabilities and support Kingswood Town Council’s (KTC’s) enhancement of services in Kingswood.
“The original decision was to sell the library site and it is recommended that this is revoked and a letting to KTC is approved.
“The minimum return to the council over the 15-year period (accounting for the proposed two-year rent free period) is £390,000.
“This excludes the opportunity for rent increases during the period and the potential for a capital receipt from a sale at the end of the lease.
“It also excludes the potential benefit that the council might obtain by leasing the property to a town council and in particular their proposal to run youth services that might reduce the council’s outlay for this service in the Kingswood area.”
The notice said the building would be expected to sell for £500,000 at this year’s prices.
The original decision was taken unanimously by the resources sub-committee in June 2016, which included Cllr Monk.
South Gloucestershire Council is now governed by a leader and cabinet instead of a committee structure, and Cllr Monk’s responsibilities are broadly the same as the former resources sub-committee.