By Jason Lewis, Local Democracy Reporter

Southampton City Council’s cabinet has approved the controversial sale of the Woodmill site, which will see Southern Water take over the north side and Southampton City Scouts take on the running of the activities centre.
Previously: Protesters chant against Woodmill sale on Civic steps

 

While the sale price has not been disclosed, the decision being made by cabinet means it must be less than £2million.

The freehold for the Stoneham side of the site will be sold to Southern Water, which would in turn transfer the leisure area to Southampton City Scouts by freehold.

 Protestors on the steps of the Civic Centre ahead of the meeting which approved the Woodmill sale. Main concerns were around "secrecy" and "lack of public consultation"

The Mill building will be retained by the city council, with current tenant Above Board (Solent) Ltd entering into a new lease agreement with the local authority.

Residents opposed to the plans held a demonstration outside the Civic Centre on Tuesday (July 15), before raising their concerns during the meeting in the council chamber.

Sue Atkins, Southampton Trade Unions Council, said all services needed to be brought in-house, with secure well-paid jobs and outdoor activity opportunities for young people.

“There is an old saying, you cannot control what you don’t own,” Ms Atkins said.

“We are witnessing the reversal of all the great steps forward that were taken after the war.

“A decade austerity and managed decline.”

Graham Linecar, of Southampton Commons and Parks Protection Society, said it was essential the council had the ability to repurchase the site if Southern Water and the Scouts were not able to deliver their proposals.

Cabinet was told this made up part of the proposed agreement between the parties.

 A pair on the Civic Centre steps

Cllr Simon Letts, cabinet member for finance and corporate services, said the council had been subsidising Woodmill by approximately £155,000 a year, which equated to around £6 per user of the centre.

He said the cost of work required to maintain the water courses was likely to be close to £2million.

While the council’s preference had been for a leasehold arrangement for the whole site, the freehold offer on the table was in line with the local authority’s valuation, Cllr Letts said.

He said: “Our view is that the best solution here is to accept the proposal that has come forward from Southern Water and the Scouting movement, which we think will enhance the environment, improve the leisure offer and give us a sensible financial outcome for the public purse.”

Cllr Letts said he accepted not all information being in the public domain “by necessity” generated a certain amount of mistrust.

Cabinet member for compliance and leisure Cllr Toqeer Kataria (pictured right)  said it would be a “big win” for the city if the future of the outdoor activities centre’s leisure offering was secured.

Referencing the need for investment in river infrastructure, Cllr John Savage, cabinet member for green city and net zero (pictured below left), said salmon and trout were at risk “from the collapse of this incredible unique resource for the city”.

He added: “If we were to retain it, I think that would be worse for the environment.

“The commitments will be tied up in covenants and legal documents as part of the deal that’s going forward.”

Following the cabinet approval, officers will now work to have the transactions complete and new arrangements in place by September 1.

Previous articles about Woodmill and the activities centre