Barham Park Trust Committee moves to revise charitable purposes to allow for income boosting activities

 

Barham Park Studios - ACAVA

 

The Barham Park Trust Committee (made up solely of Brent Labour Cabinet Members) will approach the Charity Commission to widen the Trust's purposes. A report to the Committee that meets on Tuesday September 10th LINK  states:

The Trust's charitable purposes, primarily to serve public recreation, restrict broader activities that can generate revenue, limiting potential income.

Earlier proposals for the park buildings that included a boutique hotel and a small supermarket aroused local opposition as did the building of four houses on the site inside the park, currently occupied by two park workers' houses.

The Trust has realised that it cannot get full vacant possesion of the park properties, let to voluntary groups, until 2031 so is opting for a new strategy. This involves introducing service charges for all current occupants of the buildings, revising rents and leases and adopting a tougher approach to those in debt to the council:

Discussions are ongoing to establish a repayment plan with tenants who have fallen into arrears. However, the Trust Committee should be aware that proactive measures, including forfeiture or legal action, may be necessary for tenants who fail to comply with payment plans or do not settle their arrears. The delegated officer (Director of Property and Assets) will actively enforce contractual obligations. The total debt is approximately £62,3551 as of Q2 2024/25 financial year.

Given that Trust income is insufficient to carry out the necessary maintenance of the site one wonders why the arrears have been allowed to mount to this level. One debtor owed £44,500 so Brent Council gave the Trust this sum as a cash advance to aid the Trusts' cash flow position. The council is paying the Trust interest on the advance...

Two lease renewals are due and Brent Council will issue Section 25 notices (See our recent story on Brent Property Strategy LINK)

Lease Renewals for Unit 1 (Tamu Samaj UK), Unit 2 (Veterans’ Club

(Wembley), and Unit 8 (Brent Council - Children Centre)

Tenants currently occupying these units on expired leases are to be offered the opportunity to renew their leases. Officers will commission independent valuations and issue Section 25 notices to ensure lease renewals occur within statutory time limits, with independent valuations guiding negotiations. These renewals will align with strategic objectives, ensuring leases terminate before the anticipated redevelopment in 2031. They will include appropriate breakclauses and exclusion from the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 to obtain vacant possession at the proper time.

Whether the current occupants will be able to afford the new rates remains to be seen.

 The Officers' Report states:

The recommendation is that the Trust Committee defers the investment options proposed by RLB [boutique hotel etc] until vacant possession of the whole building can be acquired in 2031 (due to existing fixed-term leases with the longest one expiring in October 2031) at the latest and seeks to implement the vision in a phased approach, starting with regularising leases, carrying out urgent repairs and, subject to Charity Commission approval, expanding the permitted uses to attract a broader range of tenants to improve cash flow. This phased and incremental investment approach addresses immediate concerns and sets the stage for sustainable long-term growth and success. It is the most responsible, pragmatic and strategic path forward for the future vision of Barham Park.

Clearly there is much that the public and current occupants of the buildings would like to question but such contributions have been barely tolerated recently.  Most importantly, do the Brent public support the moves to change the charity purpose to allow for more development, probably commercial, to boost income? 

Will they be asked their views?