Agenda item

Verbal update from the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries.

The Committee received a verbal update of the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries on developments at 10 Keats Grove.

The Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries informed Members that the City of London had assumed full responsibility for the former Heath Library premises (now known as 10 Keats Grove) from the London Borough of Camden on 16 April. Camden had completed their dilapidations work and the City had undertaken some improvements to the events space. He further informed Members that agreement had been reached and a licence had now been issued for the Keats Community Library to run a community library on-site. 

The Director also drew Members attention to the Keats Festival 2012 programme of events leaflets that had been laid around the table.

Members queried whether the licence issued to the Library covered the costs of maintaining the building to which the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries responded that whilst the actual costs of running the building were still being calculated, the London Borough of Camden, as reported to this Committee at its meeting on 12 March, had estimated the premises  costs for 2011-12 as £30,000. The Keats Community Library was currently paying an annual fee of £22,500 and the Director advised that he was looking to make up any gap through the hire of the excellent new event space.

RECEIVED.