Decision - Royal Albion Hotel Fire: Contracts and Works Required

RESOLVED: That the Committee – 1. Noted decisions made to date by officers to address the fire at the Royal Albion Hotel, Kings Road, Brighton, to make the building and the surrounding site safe, including the use of Officer Urgency Powers; 2. Delegated authority to the Executive Director Economy Environment & Culture to enter into contracts necessary to carry out the works; 3. Delegated authority to the Executive Director Economy Environment & Culture to complete the works required by the Notice served under section 78 of the Building Act 1984 and to then hand the site back to the owners and to seek full recompense for all costs to the council. 4. Approved the actions taken so far and authorises the Executive Director for Economy, Environment & Culture to take all other steps necessary or incidental to securing the safety of the public and the building. 45A ROYAL PAVILION ESTATE CAPITAL PROJECT PHASE 2 RESOLVED: That the Committee – 1. Noted the planned submission by RPMT and the council of the National Lottery Heritage Fund Round 2 bid for the capital works with the project aims set out in paragraph 3.5. 2. Agreed that a contribution of up to £ 0.250m from capital funds set aside by Budget Council for toilet refurbishment is made to this project. Details are set out in paragraphs 3.8 and 3.9. 3. Delegated authority to the Executive Director Economy, Environment and Culture to agree the final value of the contribution up to £ 0.250m for new public toilets to be included in the project; 4. Delegated authority to the Executive Director Economy, Environment & Culture, subject to a successful National Lottery Heritage Fund Round 2 bid and the requirements laid out in paragraph 3.12 and 3.13, for the council to procure and appoint a Main Contractor to carry out the restoration works to the Royal Pavilion Garden within the project cost plan; 5. Noted the Garden restoration proposals include the reinstatement of the boundary railing but that 24 hour public access to the Garden will be maintained as described in paragraph 3.3 and further discussions to agree a strategy for addressing anti-social behaviour in the city centre as described in paragraph 3.4.

The committee approved actions taken by Brighton & Hove City Council following the fire at the Royal Albion Hotel, including emergency demolition and safety works. Officers were authorised to enter into the necessary contracts, complete works under section 78 of the Building Act 1984, hand the site back to Britannia Hotels and seek recovery of all council costs.