Decision details

Cabinet agreed that the grant agreement annexed to the report, between the Council and East Kent Colleges Group should be signed by the Section 151 Officer, with the seal to be witnessed by two authorised officers.

The proposed Lease arrangements to East Kent Colleges Group of 53-57 High Street, Margate on 125 year term at a peppercorn rent were approved. This included that the appointed Joint Venture Steering Group members confirmed consent to the same.

Authorisation was provided to the Head of Regeneration and Growth in consultation with the Head of Property to finalise the terms of the lease.  Authorising the Head of Legal and Democracy to negotiate and complete the necessary legal formalities and all necessary deeds and agreements arising from or ancillary to the grant of the lease of the property.

The report presented on 29 February 2024 requested approval from Cabinet to agree the lease arrangements for the Margate Digital Campus project which is to be hosted within 53-57 High Street Margate, a building which is owned by a Joint Venture agreement between Thanet District Council and Homes England. Following previous decisions, the report set out the terms in which the lease arrangements are to be made with East Kent Colleges Group in the leasing of 53-57 High Street.

The grant agreement and lease arrangements for 53-57 High Street Margate, to be used to deliver the Margate Digital Campus, are the final parts that the council can provide in order to move the project forward and to deliver the Campus.

The only alternatives are to either give the funding back to central government, or for the council to deliver the Margate Digital campus themselves. There are currently no other Further Education or Universities in Thanet that could add a new campus to their provision. The council is not in the position to deliver an education campus, and therefore the only option is to provide East Kent Colleges Group with a lease in order that they can deliver the scheme they put forward for the Levelling Up Fund programme, which was awarded the grant funding.