Economic Regeneration and Leisure Policy Advisory Committee			4 April 2023
Mote Park Kiosk
Timetable Meeting Date Economic Regeneration and Leisure PAC 4 April 2023 Lead Member for Leisure and Arts 14 April 2023
Will this be a Key Decision?		No
Urgency		Not Applicable
Final Decision-Maker		Lead Member for Leisure and Arts
Lead Head of Service		Katie Exon, Head of Property and Leisure
Lead Officer and Report Author		Mike Evans, Leisure Manager
Classification		Public report
Wards affected		All
Executive Summary
The toilet block and kiosk in the northern section of Mote Park, near to the water sports centre, requires upgrading to provide services to park users and to extend the life of the building.  The upgrade offers the opportunity to deliver some key elements of the Council’s vision for a sustainable future for Mote Park.
Purpose of Report   Decision
That the Committee make the following recommendation to the Lead Member:
1.   That the option to proceed with the facility mix as depicted in the indicative design be approved; 2.   That the Director of Finance, Resources and Business Improvement be given delegated authority to submit relevant planning applications, lead a procurement process and invite tenders for the delivery of the works in accordance with the total project budget; 3.   That after the completion of the tender process, delegated authority is given to the Head of Mid Kent Legal Services to enter into such contracts as required to complete the contract award.

Mote Park Kiosk

1.       CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES AND IMPLICATIONS

 

 

Issue	Implications	Sign-off
Impact on Corporate Priorities	The four Strategic Plan objectives are:   ·         Embracing Growth and Enabling Infrastructure ·         Safe, Clean and Green ·         Homes and Communities ·         A Thriving Place   Accepting the recommendations will materially improve the Council’s ability to achieve the A Thriving Place and Safe, Clean and Green objectives.  We set out the reasons other choices will be less effective in sections 2 and 4.	Leisure Manager
Cross Cutting Objectives	The four cross-cutting objectives are:   ·         Heritage is Respected ·         Health Inequalities are Addressed and Reduced ·         Deprivation and Social Mobility is Improved ·         Biodiversity and Environmental Sustainability is respected   The report recommendations support the achievement of the health inequalities, deprivation and social mobility, and environmental sustainability cross cutting objectives.	Leisure Manager
Risk Management	Refer to section 5 of the report.	Leisure Manager
Financial	Accepting the recommendations will demand new spending.  We plan to fund that spending as set out in the approved Medium-Term Financial Strategy and capital programme.	Senior Finance Manager (Client Team)
Staffing	We will deliver the recommendations with our current staffing.	Head of Property and Leisure
Legal	Acting on the recommendations is within the Council’s powers as set out at within various Local Government Acts.	Senior Lawyer (Corporate Governance)
Information Governance	The recommendations do not impact personal information (as defined in UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018) the Council processes.	Information Governance Team
Equalities	The recommendations will create plans and proposals which will lead to changes in service, therefore equalities impact assessments will be completed alongside the plans as they are developed.	Equalities & Communities Officer
Public Health	We recognise that the recommendations will have a positive impact on population health and wellbeing and also that of individuals.	Leisure Manager
Crime and Disorder	The recommendations will guard against crime and disorder.	Leisure Manager
Procurement	On accepting the recommendations, the Council will then follow procurement procedures.  We will complete those exercises in line with financial procedure rules.	Head of Property and Leisure & Section 151 Officer
Biodiversity and Climate Change	The implications of this report have been considered and there are multiple opportunities, through the recommendations, to greatly reduce utilities and carbon emissions, reduce water wastage, and make positive impacts on biodiversity and climate change in the borough.	Biodiversity and Climate Change Manager

 

 

2.      INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

 

2.      

2.1     The kiosk in Mote Park has remained unchanged for many decades.  It was originally built with men’s and women’s toilets and a small refreshments kiosk.  The kiosk was last leased in 2017 as part of the lease to the old Mote Park Café, however the tenant did not use it as intended because of the age of the facility and the overheads associated with maintaining the property for only seasonal usage.  Instead, the operator operated a mobile refreshments vehicle positioned in front of the building.

 

2.2     The toilets are traditional in design, in that they are arranged in one large room for men and one large room for women.  In this location, the arrangement has been problematic because it can attract anti-social behaviour and any maintenance problems render the whole block out of action. 

 

2.3     Toilet facilities are needed in this northern section of Mote Park and upgrading the block will allow provision to be made for the ever-increasing number of Mote Park visitors.

 

2.4     There are a number of other elements of the Council’s vision for a sustainable future for Mote Park that can be realised by upgrading the block.

 

Water Sports

 

2.5     The water sports centre offers a range of water-based leisure activities for beginners and serious paddlers, but is lacking changing facilities.  Feedback from the current operator and his users (schools) have shown that we need to improve the current offer to include changing and WC facilities.  The water sports centre is operated under a one-year rolling licence.  With improved facilities, we can secure a new, longer tenancy and charge a commensurate fee.

 

Mote Park Fellowship

 

2.6     The Mote Park Fellowship, along with other community and volunteer groups, has a vital role in the park.  Members of the Fellowship volunteer in the park and help with maintenance and various projects all year round.  Their charitable status allows them to raise funding in a way that the Council cannot.  It was originally intended that provision for the Fellowship would be made in the new Estates building in the Park but this has not proved possible.  A designated space would be created in the kiosk for the Fellowship.  The Fellowship would be good custodians for the building and would help dissuade anti-social behaviour.

 

Cygnets Model Boat Club

 

2.7     This group operates in Mote Park Lake under a licence from the Council.  Following works on the Mote Park Dam, this group currently has temporary arrangements for storing their equipment.  Provision in the kiosk would provide an alternative. The Club’s licence would be updated to reflect the Council’s current vision for the Park and to provide them with suitable accommodation.  If it is not possible to agree a new licence, the space in the kiosk designated for the Model Boat Club would be re-purposed.

 

2.8     The layout for the refurbished block incorporates the following features.

 

·         Two individual unisex toilet units will be created.  These will be easier to manage and maintain in this location and any problems will be confined to a single unit.  They can be designed to modern building regulations and be fully accessible for all park users.  They will be step-free and suitable for those with mobility issues.  They will each have baby change facilities and be big enough to take a pushchair inside.

 

·         The kiosk section, no longer ideal for providing catering, would be repurposed.  Electrical outlets can be provided so that mobile catering can be deployed from this location on a temporary basis without the need for generators.  This is a much more sustainable and environmentally-friendly way of providing catering in this area of the park.

 

·         The space saved by repurposing the kiosk and reducing the overall floor plan of the public toilets can be used to create changing rooms for the water sports centre and community space for the Mote Park Fellowship and (subject to issue of a new licence) the Cygnets Model Boat Club.

 

Planning and finance

 

2.9     Pre-application planning advice is being sought on the indicative design and a planning application can be submitted, subject to the recommendations in this report being agreed.

 

2.10  £250,000 has already been agreed for this project in the capital programme.  The total expenditure for the recommended option is expected to be within this budget.

 

 

3.   AVAILABLE OPTIONS

 

3.1     Do nothing

Not progressing with the project will result in a defunct building overlooking the Mote Park lake and no welfare facilities along the northern bank of the lake.  A project to reinvest in these facilities will avoid future costs and liabilities and provide much-needed facilities.  This option is not recommended.

 

3.2     Repurpose the building in another way

In creating the indicative design thought has been given to providing an alternative mix of facilities but other variations are less desirable.  Removing any facility type from the facility mix will create additional pressures to provide it elsewhere or via other means. 

 

For example, refreshments space could be included in the building, but it requires ongoing maintenance and compliance to meet food standard and hygiene requirements, which is a considerable overhead for seasonal usage.  Temporary mobile units can provide this in a much easier way, and can also offer more flexibility in line with changing trends. 

 

The number of changing rooms and toilets has been considered and those presented give the optimal operational flexibility.  The community spaces are simple in design and can have many uses, which future proofs.  An alternative facility arrangement is not recommended.      

 

3.3     Proceed with the facility mix as depicted in the indicative design

The facility mix proposed is the optimal arrangement.  It provides regularised accommodation to park user groups, it provides much-improved facilities to the public and it negates the need for any stand-alone welfare facilities to be brought into the park.  By investing in the assets we already have in this lakeside location, we create a hub of activity around an under-utilised building and improve the Mote Park offer using available resources.  This option is recommended.

 

 

4.        PREFERRED OPTION AND REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS

 

4.1     Paragraphs 3.1 and 3.2 describe why alternative options are less desirable.  Paragraph 3.3 describes the benefits of the recommendation.  The recommendation brings many advantages across different council service areas.  Using capital programme resources in the park at this time will ensure the funds benefit the park and prevent future liabilities from materialising.

 

 

5.       RISK

5.1    The risks associated with this proposal, including the risks if the Council does not act as recommended, have been considered in line with the Council’s Risk Management Framework.  That consideration is shown in sections 3 and 4.  We are satisfied that the risks associated are within the Council’s risk appetite and will be managed as per the Policy.

 

6.       CONSULTATION RESULTS AND PREVIOUS COMMITTEE FEEDBACK

 

6.1     Stakeholder groups have been consulted and their requirements have been incorporated into the recommendations.

 

 

7.       NEXT STEPS: COMMUNICATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DECISION

 

7.1     Once recommendations have been agreed, the Property and Leisure team will progress with final designs and a planning application for the changes to the building.  At the detailed design stage, requirements for the user groups and park users can be incorporated further.

 

7.2     Working with Finance colleagues, a project budget can be formulated using the allocated capital programme resources.

 

 

 

8.        REPORT APPENDICES

 

The following document is to be published with this report and forms part of the report:

·         Appendix 1: Indicative design for Mote Park kiosk

 

9.        BACKGROUND PAPERS

 

None.