A decision about the future of Burnham-On-Sea’s Princess Hall looks set to be made next week when the town council hears whether its bid for a £75,000 grant has been successful.
Burnham-On-Sea.com learns the town council is seeking a special ‘reducing grant’ of £75,000 to help defray its costs in running the hall, pictured, for five years starting from October 2007.
The matter is to be considered by a full meeting of Sedgemoor District Councillors next Wednesday, December 13th.
News of the huge grant bid comes after a report was published this week outlining the details of the potential savings to Sedgemoor from transferring management of the building to the town.
It states that “the potential savings from the transfer of The Princess are worked out by removing the capital debt recharge, all of the central support charges but not salaries, on-costs, rates and utility bills. This net deficit figure is £41,500 recurring. If members are minded to award the reducing grant of £75,000 over five years this would be put back into the budget resulting in savings of up to £132,000.”
District councillors will have two options on the table next Wednesday, according to the report. Firstly, if Sedgemoor District Council does not support the proposed grant “the deal negotiated with the Town Council will fall through.” Secondly, if Sedgemoor District Council “does support this proposal, detailed negotiations will be undertaken to ensure transfer to Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge Town Council.”
Talks have been ongoing for several months between the current owner, Sedgemoor District Council, and Burnham and Highbridge Town Council about a possible change of ownership. As reported by Burnham-On-Sea.com in February, Sedgemoor is embarking on a cost-cutting exercise and said it wanted a new organisation to take over the building’s management.
Town councillors voted in favour of opening talks with the district council on the the possibility of taking on the management and running of the building – but since then all of the talks have been held behind closed doors.
