2018-04-10 Services & Organisation Committee Agenda

SERVICES & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                10 APRIL 2018


Building Condition
Following the sale of the Theatre by Ron West to PPATA the building underwent a significant
refurbishment which was jointly funded by Council and the State and Federal Governments.

Since then maintenance on the building has been reactive in nature and the overall condition of
the building is unknown.

The Noosa Heritage Reference Group believes the Majestic is a significant heritage asset and it
is important that a Conservation Management Plan and schedule of planned program
maintenance be developed as soon as possible to ensure its longevity.

Council’s Property Advisor states that Council’s experience with heritage buildings has shown
maintenance and emergent works costs are significant and usually underestimated.

To give an indication (only) expenditure on similar buildings suggest a need allow for
maintenance of $15,000 per year, with larger capital works projects triggered every 5-10 years
equating to an additional $20,000 per year.

The costs of maintenance will also be influenced by the extent of asbestos and the site’s State
heritage listing.

It is therefore recommended that Council commission a thorough condition assessment similar to
the one it undertook of the Cooroy Memorial Hall to inform the development of a conservation
management plan so that the building can be properly maintained.

Pomona Arts Inc requests for assistance
In late 2016, the former President of PAI, Robyn Jones approached Council to seek financial
assistance for PAI and or purchase the Majestic Theatre and lease it back to Pomona Arts Inc to
manage. Robyn made this approach as she believed PAI would be unable to meet its mortgage
repayments by the end of the first quarter 2017 and additionally that PAI was not meeting its
governance requirements under the Incorporations Act following the resignation of a number of
management committee members.

Following Robyn Jones’s approach Council has provided:
 assistance for PAI to hold an AGM and transition to a new Management Committee
 planning support to help the PAI Management Committee create a draft strategic plan
 assistance to write a grant for the inaugural Pomona Music Muster; and
 assistance with reducing fixed overheads eg insurance, water rebate

Since their election, the new management committee have actively engaged in community fund
raising activities and made efforts to reduce their costs wherever possible. However, in October
2017 the new President, Cherry Bright, concerned that members of her committee were in
danger of burning out, once again contacted Council seeking assistance.

A meeting was held in late 2017 with Council officers, Cr Wilkie and members of the PAI
management committee to discuss the future of the organisation. Following this meeting, Council
engaged White and Grey consultants to undertake a financial analysis of PAI and undertook a
building valuation for the Majestic Theatre. See financial section for more details of White and
Grey’s analysis.




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