The Director of City Development submitted a report which sought approval to the award of grant funding of £4m to Yorkshire County Cricket Club (YCCC), as a financial contribution towards the redevelopment of the North-South stand at Headingley Stadium, for the purpose of securing four World Cup Cricket Matches in 2019 and ensuring the ‘Category A’ status of the ground leading to the award of a new Staging Agreement for the hosting of International Cricket matches in Yorkshire from 2020 onwards.
In considering the submitted report, Members discussed the importance of Headingley Stadium maintaining ‘Category A’ status and the wide range of benefits it brought to the city and the region. During the discussion, a concern was raised around the principle of the Council providing a grant, rather than a loan to YCCC, whilst also, responding to a further concern, clarification was provided that the proposals detailed within this report were separate from any ongoing planning submissions, and the consideration of this report did not pre-suppose the outcome of any such planning submissions.
Responding to a request, it was highlighted that should the grant be agreed, in addition to the Council retaining a place upon the Board of the Yorkshire Cricket Foundation, further work be undertaken with YCCC with a view to securing further commitment around the provision of associated community and cohesion work being undertaken by YCCC and/or Yorkshire Cricket Foundation.
In conclusion, the clarification provided earlier in the discussion was further reiterated, in that the proposals detailed within this report were separate from any ongoing planning submissions, which would be a matter for the relevant Plans Panels to determine.
RESOLVED –
(a) That the contents of the submitted report, be noted;
(b) That the following be approved:-
(i) The award of a grant of £4 million to Yorkshire County Cricket Club, which will be used exclusively towards the redevelopment of the North-South stand at Headingley Stadium in order to ensure the hosting of four 2019 Cricket World Cup matches and the retention of YCCC ‘Category A’ status and the award of a new staging agreement from 2020-2022; and which will be subject to:-
(ii) The entry by the Council into a grant agreement with Yorkshire County Cricket Club based on the draft Heads of Terms, as detailed in the appendix to the submitted report;
(iii)The settlement of the final terms of the agreement (as referenced in resolution (ii) above) being delegated to the Director of City Development.
(Under the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 16.5, Councillors A Carter and Golton required it to be recorded that respectively, they both abstained from voting on the decisions referred to within this minute)