Agenda item

Decision

RESOLVED

·         Delegate to the Asset & Property Programme Manager in consultation with the s151 Officer to utilise any remaining capital budget to undertake all works set out in the detailed cost plan dated 11 September 2025 as shown in Appendix A.

·         Delegate to the Estates and Asset Strategy Manager in consultation with the s151 Officer to enter into a lease based on terms listed in Appendix B.

Reason for the decision:

Address the ongoing damp issues within the Rocket House building and implement measures to improve its energy performance to support future letting and sustainability.

Support the reinstatement of the RNLI Museum in Cromer by ensuring suitable accommodation within the building.

To facilitate the Reoccupation of the building and to ensure its use as a key community heritage and visitor asset.

The Portfolio Holder for Finance, Estates & Property Services, Cllr Shires, introduced this item. She reminded Members that there was an exempt appendix and that the meeting would need to go into closed session if they wanted to discuss anything within the appendix.  She said that this matter had been going on for a long time but she was hopeful it was reaching a conclusion.

Cllr Shires explained that investigations in 2023 & 2024 had identified defective subfloor drainage beneath the public conveniences as a major cause of damp and refurbishment works in early 2025 addressed these isolated issues, but monitoring showed damp persisted where the rear wall met the cliff, requiring further action.

Consultants had been engaged and had provided a cost plan for the tanking works and repairs and reinstatement of the internal fabric of the building. Heads of Terms for a new lease with the RNLI were under discussion to support the return of the Henry Blogg Museum and secure the building’s long-term use.

The Chair thanked Cllr Shires and said that damp monitoring had been ongoing for some time but had been delayed due to heavy rainfall. The next phase would be limited tanking together with various electrical and mechanical works, internal and external fittings and decoration. It was anticipated that these further works would be within the approved capital budget. The Chair went onto say that under the proposed lease terms, the RNLI would pay a commercial rent (independently valued), replacing the previous peppercorn arrangement. The lease also required the RNLI to cover a proportionate share of the property’s running costs through a service charge. He said that the reopening of the museum was welcomed. It was a key part of the maritime heritage of the town and wider district.

The Chair invited members to speak:

Cllr A Fitch-Tillett said that it was no surprise that damp was an ongoing problem in a building built against the cliff wall. The said that a previous Liberal Democrat administration had persisted in approving the construction of this unfortunate building and taxpayers would be lumbered with this for the foreseeable future. The Chair interjected and said that Cllr Fitch-Tillett had voted in support of the project at the time. She refuted this. He countered that it was recorded in the minutes of the meeting. The Chair went onto say that the report before Members was not focussing on matters that happened years ago. The Henry Blogg museum celebrated the achievements of fishermen and lifeboat crew over generations, and they had worked together to restore the HF Bailey, which would be on display in the museum. He added that the building was not just about the museum but also about providing accessibility from the top of the cliffs to the promenade, as well as a café and public conveniences. The Chair said that Cabinet’s position on this had been set out clearly and careful financial planning had ensured that the budget envelope covered the anticipated costs.

Cllr J Toye reiterated the Chair’s comments and said that it was important to remember the project was still in budget. He added that if the building had not been built, it was likely that there would still be issues to deal with regarding erosion of the cliff face and the impact buildings nearby. The building fulfilled a lot of roles and added to the vibrancy at that end of the town.

Cllr Shires said that she would welcome a discussion of Cromer’s assets that didn’t propose removing them, adding that it was a lack of investment by previous administrations that had led to this point. She reminded Members that the taxpayer owned these assets and the Council needed to maintain them and look after them.  Cllr Shires thanked the Estates & Assets Strategy Manager for all her hard work and the Assets & Property Programme Manager for his support and for providing detailed information when requested. She concluded by saying that this project met the two aims that she had set out to achieve when she took over her portfolio – to ensure that the leases on Council-owned buildings became more commercial and that the buildings were well maintained.

Cllr C Cushing said that he wanted to refute Cllr Shires’ comments regarding previous administration’s lack of investment. Under the last Conservative-led administration, £5m had been invested in Cromer Pier. The Chair replied that it was easy to argue about the handling of historic issues regarding individual structures but the Council had inherited several assets in Cromer but they did also generate some income too. He said that other towns had assets too.

It was proposed by Cllr L Shires, seconded by Cllr T Adams and

RESOLVED

·       Delegate to the Asset & Property Programme Manager in consultation with the s151 Officer to utilise any remaining capital budget to undertake all works set out in the detailed cost plan dated 11 September 2025 as shown in Appendix A.

·       Delegate to the Estates and Asset Strategy Manager in consultation with the s151 Officer to enter into a lease based on terms listed in Appendix B.

Reason for the decision:

Address the ongoing damp issues within the Rocket House building and implement measures to improve its energy performance to support future letting and sustainability.

Support the reinstatement of the RNLI Museum in Cromer by ensuring suitable accommodation within the building.

To facilitate the Reoccupation of the building and to ensure its use as a key community heritage and visitor asset.