Futures Forum: Plans for Port Royal: questions to be raised at full District Council meeting > Wednesday 25th July
Futures Forum: Plans for Port Royal: questions raised at full District Council meeting
The Herald reports:
Concerns raised over ‘conflict of interest’ with marketing of Sidmouth’s Drill Hall site
PUBLISHED: 17:00 02 August 2018
Herald reporter
The front of the drill hall has been called untidy and a mess by resident Dave O'Connor.
The company appointed to market Sidmouth’s redundant Drill Hall site for redevelopment has been accused of having a potential ‘conflict of interest’.
Questions were raised about East Devon District Council’s (EDDC) appointment of Exeter-based JLL, at a meeting last week.
Once the bidding starts, community groups will have six months to come forward with a proposals for the site, while commercial operators will only have three months to submit a bid.
Councillors have now raised concerns, questioning why JLL was the only agent that responded to the opportunity to market the site at Port Royal, through the tender process.
Cllr Cathy Gardner said: “Given that there are many commercial property agents to choose from with wider sales expertise, why did JLL make the shortlist for EDDC in the first place?”
Cllr Gardner also asked why effort was not put in to secure an agent that was not a potential purchaser of the Drill Hall site. She said: “As they were the only one of five agents who responded to the tender – that does not make them the best for this task. Were the other agents asked why they did not bid, or were the wrong kind of agents invited to tender?”
EDDC’s chief executive Mark Williams said: “JLL are an experienced and multi-skilled company, well-versed in marketing and managing land and property sales and are also locally based, so understand the local market. It is entirely reasonable and appropriate that they were among the companies invited to pitch for the role. Furthermore, we would expect property agents, worth their while, to have good contacts among relevant investors. That may include having specific clients who the agent, in this case JLL, is open and transparent about. An agent that did not have links to potential investors wouldn’t be a very good agent.”
Cllr Gardner also raised concerns about JLL having a ‘serious conflict of interest’ because Whitbread was one of its clients and John Kinsey, the person liaising with potential bidders, was the same person who, according to JLL’s website, actively searched for Premier Inn sites.
She said: “Given that no potential community or even other commercial bidders can trust the probity of the process, will this council now immediately terminate the contract with JLL and appoint an agent without such conflict, thus allowing all parties, including potentially Whitbread, to compete on a level playing field?”
Mr Williams said: “JLL have a client base that it seeks sites for and they are open about that. Their marketing work reaches a broad range of potential investors and developers. JLL are also professional and scrupulous in their protection of privileged information in the process.
“I am happy that anyone who wants to take a serious interest in the site will be treated equally in a transparent and open process. It is an open invitation to the community and private sector to come forward with proposals and then we will see if any make sense. Something may happen or nothing may happen to Drill Hall.”
The meeting was told, once bids were submitted, a core group of district and town councillors would work with JLL and council officers to ensure rigorous and even consideration was given to all the bids.
Cllr Geoff Pook, chairman of the council’s asset management forum (AMF), said there would be a detailed process and a criteria and the quality of the applications would be scored by a matrix, by the core group.
He added: “There is a lot of democratic input there. The bids will go to the AMF and to make a recommendation to cabinet, where they will reassess them. I am more than happy there is a full democratic examination of the bids as they come through.”
The redevelopment of Drill Hall comes after 18 months of consultation – a quality restaurant and bar with an outdoor terrace or a patio were among the favourites.
Concerns raised over ‘conflict of interest’ with marketing of Sidmouth’s Drill Hall site | Sidmouth and Ottery breaking news and sport - Sidmouth Herald
And from Devon Live
Questions raised by councillors about appointment of JLL to market Sidmouth's Drill Hall
Something may happen or nothing may happen to Drill Hall, say council officers
Daniel Clark Local Democracy Reporter
22:33, 31 JUL 2018
Questions have been raised about East Devon District Council’s proposed marketing of the redundant Drill Hall site on Sidmouth seafront for redevelopment.
Exeter-based JLL have been appointed to help market the site – with a high quality restaurant or bar the preferred option.
Community groups will have six months to come forward with a bid for the site, while commercial operators who want the site will only have three months to put forward a bid, when the bidding process starts.
The paperwork between the council and JLL has not yet been sorted and the marketing period has not yet commended, but councillors on Wednesday had raised questions about a perceived ‘conflict of interest’ around JLL’s appointment and why they were the only agents who responded to the opportunity to market Drill Hall through the tender process.
The old Drill Hall site on Sidmouth seafront.
Cllr Cathy Gardner asked: “Given that there are many commercial property agents to choose from with wider sales expertise, why did JLL make the shortlist for EDDC in the first place and why was no effort put in to secure an agent that does not have major potential purchasers of the Drill Hall as clients?
“As they were the only one of five agents who responded to the tender – that does not make them the best for this task. Were the other agents asked why they did not bid, or were the wrong kind of agents invited to tender?”
In response, Mark Williams, the council’s chief executive, said: “JLL are an experienced and multi-skilled company well versed in marketing and managing land and property sales and are also locally based so understand the local market. It is entirely reasonable and appropriate that they were among the companies invited to pitch for the role. Furthermore, we would expect property agents worth their while to have good contacts among relevant investors. That may include having specific clients who the agent, in this case JLL, are open and transparent about. An agent that did not have links to potential investors wouldn’t be a very good agent. “
She also questioned appointed JLL to sell the Drill Hall was a ‘serious conflict of interest’ given that they have Whitbread as a client and that John Kinsey, the person liaising with potential bidders, is the same person who, according to JLLs website, actively searches for sites for Premier Inn.
She asked: “Given that no potential community or even other commercial bidders can trust the probity of the process, will this Council now immediately terminate the contract with JLL and appoint an agent without such conflict, thus allowing all parties (including potentially Whitbread) to compete on a level playing field?”
Cllr Cathy Gardner asked: “Given that there are many commercial property agents to choose from with wider sales expertise, why did JLL make the shortlist for EDDC in the first place and why was no effort put in to secure an agent that does not have major potential purchasers of the Drill Hall as clients?
“As they were the only one of five agents who responded to the tender – that does not make them the best for this task. Were the other agents asked why they did not bid, or were the wrong kind of agents invited to tender?”
In response, Mark Williams, the council’s chief executive, said: “JLL are an experienced and multi-skilled company well versed in marketing and managing land and property sales and are also locally based so understand the local market. It is entirely reasonable and appropriate that they were among the companies invited to pitch for the role. Furthermore, we would expect property agents worth their while to have good contacts among relevant investors. That may include having specific clients who the agent, in this case JLL, are open and transparent about. An agent that did not have links to potential investors wouldn’t be a very good agent. “
She also questioned appointed JLL to sell the Drill Hall was a ‘serious conflict of interest’ given that they have Whitbread as a client and that John Kinsey, the person liaising with potential bidders, is the same person who, according to JLLs website, actively searches for sites for Premier Inn.
She asked: “Given that no potential community or even other commercial bidders can trust the probity of the process, will this Council now immediately terminate the contract with JLL and appoint an agent without such conflict, thus allowing all parties (including potentially Whitbread) to compete on a level playing field?”
Drill Hall, Sidmouth
In response, Mr Williams said: “JLL have a client base that it seeks sites for and they are open about that. Their marketing work reaches a broad range of potential investors and developers. JLL are also professional and scrupulous in their protection of privileged information in the process. I would hope that this question is not suggesting otherwise since that would cast aspersions toward our agents which they might reasonably take issue with.
“I am happy that anyone who wants to take a serious interest in the site will be treated equally in a transparent and open process”.
He added: “It is an open invitation to the community and private sector to come forward with proposals and then we will see if any make sense. Something may happen or nothing may happen to Drill Hall.
If and when bids are submitted, a core group of East Devon and Sidmouth town councillors will work with JLL and council officers to ensure a rigorous and even consideration of bids, giving both member, officer and professional input to the outcome, the meeting was told.
In response, Mr Williams said: “JLL have a client base that it seeks sites for and they are open about that. Their marketing work reaches a broad range of potential investors and developers. JLL are also professional and scrupulous in their protection of privileged information in the process. I would hope that this question is not suggesting otherwise since that would cast aspersions toward our agents which they might reasonably take issue with.
“I am happy that anyone who wants to take a serious interest in the site will be treated equally in a transparent and open process”.
He added: “It is an open invitation to the community and private sector to come forward with proposals and then we will see if any make sense. Something may happen or nothing may happen to Drill Hall.
If and when bids are submitted, a core group of East Devon and Sidmouth town councillors will work with JLL and council officers to ensure a rigorous and even consideration of bids, giving both member, officer and professional input to the outcome, the meeting was told.
Cllr Geoff Pook, chairman of the council’s asset management forum, said: “There will be a detailed process and a criteria which is to do with the quality of the applicant and the application which will be scored by a matrix by the core group. There is a lot of democratic input there. The criteria will be given to the bidders so they know what they are and bids will be assessed against those.
“The bids will go to the AMF and to make a recommendation to cabinet where they will reassess them. I am more than happy there is a full democratic examination of the bids as they come through.”
Sidmouth resident Stephen Pemberton asked how the council will ensure that a community bid is not discriminated against in the process, especially when it comes to the value of the bid.
Sidmouth seafront (Image: Daniel Clark)
Mr Williams said: “The assessment process will be through a combination of group of councillors, town councillors, JLL and officers. They will have to find a way of assessing all bids, as I am assuming that they will not be like for like.”
Fellow town resident Gillian Mitchell also asked what the extent of the land and buildings that were included in the proposed sale were and if bidders were being encouraged to either rehouse the public toilets within the site or to bid for the toilet block as well.
Mr Williams said: “It is the Drill Hall that is the asset for disposal. But if proposals come forward that also include part or all of the toilet block, they will be assessed as part of the process for determining the best value offer. It is the Drill Hall that is the asset for disposal but we won’t not assess any other proposals that come forward.”
The redevelopment of Drill Hall at the Port Royal comes after 18 months of consultation , communication and engagement with the local community to find out what they would like to see there.
Quality restaurants and bars with a clear view of the sea with an outdoor terrace or a patio were among the wishes of residents for the disused and rundown building.
The date for the six month marketing period in which community groups have six months to come forward with a bid for the site, while commercial operators who want the site will only have three months to put forward a bid, has not yet started.
Questions raised by councillors about appointment of JLL to market Sidmouth's Drill Hall - Devon Live
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Mr Williams said: “The assessment process will be through a combination of group of councillors, town councillors, JLL and officers. They will have to find a way of assessing all bids, as I am assuming that they will not be like for like.”
Fellow town resident Gillian Mitchell also asked what the extent of the land and buildings that were included in the proposed sale were and if bidders were being encouraged to either rehouse the public toilets within the site or to bid for the toilet block as well.
Mr Williams said: “It is the Drill Hall that is the asset for disposal. But if proposals come forward that also include part or all of the toilet block, they will be assessed as part of the process for determining the best value offer. It is the Drill Hall that is the asset for disposal but we won’t not assess any other proposals that come forward.”
The redevelopment of Drill Hall at the Port Royal comes after 18 months of consultation , communication and engagement with the local community to find out what they would like to see there.
Quality restaurants and bars with a clear view of the sea with an outdoor terrace or a patio were among the wishes of residents for the disused and rundown building.
The date for the six month marketing period in which community groups have six months to come forward with a bid for the site, while commercial operators who want the site will only have three months to put forward a bid, has not yet started.
Questions raised by councillors about appointment of JLL to market Sidmouth's Drill Hall - Devon Live
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