Sale of the former Glodwick Baths To The Ghazali Trust (Updated)

Dear Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council,

The following information is extracted from information drawn from a Oldham Council Cabinet Report dated 25th January 2016 regarding the sale of the site of the former Glodwick Baths:

1. A four week tender exercise was approved on the 17th November 2015.

2. The marketing exercise has resulted in the Council receiving two tenders by the closing date ie 12 Noon on Friday 18 December 2015 as well as a late offer via e-mail received on the 5 January 2016.

3. The Council in its wisdom agreed to accept the LOWER offer.

4. The Council confirm that Glodwick Baths is to be disposed of at less than best consideration and approval is given to an “undervalue”.

5. It is prudent to obtain an independent valuer’s report as to the likely amount of the undervalue.

5. That contacts are exchanged within two months of the date of the letter confirming the Council’s acceptance.

From these minutes that resulted in the sale of a public asset I request the following information:

1. What were the specifics of OMBCs marketing exercise?

2. Is there any reason why OMBC decided to market a community asset for sale for only 4 weeks just before Xmas?

3. What exercise did the Council undertake to determine what 'market value' was prior to the marketing exercise? For instance were independent valuers approached etc?

4. Who were the 3 bidders? How much did they bid? What did they want to do with the site? Now this sale is no longer commercially sensitive, please supply me with a copy of the at the time confidential Part B document that details the merits of each bid?

5. The minutes of the Cabinet meeting also indicate that a late bid was received by email after the deadline. Please confirm who this bid came from and why it was presented to Cabinet?

6. Was the late bid by e-mail by the Ghazali Trust?

7. Regardless, who approved the inclusion of this late bid? I notice that the named portfolio holder was Jim McMahon. I assume that the authority would have rested with him. Am i correct? If not who was it? I see that the Officer contact was Elaine McLean and the report author was Mark Elton.

8. The Cabinet report confirms the prudence of seeking the guidance of an independent valuer. Did OMBC do this?

9. I'm specifically looking for the exact sum the independent valuer confirmed the accepted bid by the Ghazali Trust undervalue the property by?

10. When did the Council issue a letter confirming the Council's acceptance to accept the offer by the Ghazali Trust?

11. When did the Council receive a letter from the Ghazali Trust confirming the Council’s acceptance to sell?

12. When were contracts exchanged?

13. When was the sale completed?

14. From the winning bid agreed on the 25th January to the completion of sale, was there any changes made - for instance a change in the price in the bid or any other differences?

15. The sum the property was sold for and the amount of income received by Oldham Council at point of sale?

16. If full payment was NOT made at point of sale, details of payments made to date and the agreed payment schedule.

17. Since selling the property to the Ghazali Trust, has the Council provided grants/loans for any capital expenditure to help refurbish the site and/or undertaken any work in kind?

18. The date when purdah commenced from for the elections in 2016.

19. Any involvement, to the best of OMBCs knowledge, of Cllr AROOJ SHAH's involvement in the negotiation and sale of the former Glodwick Baths to the Ghazali Trust

Yours faithfully,

R. Miah