Currently Brentwood Borough Council has a wedding offer at the Town Hall on Thursday and Fridays and utilises Committee Room 1 and 2 and on occasions the Council Chamber to undertake weddings. It is proposed that officers look at Merrymeade House as an alternative venue for weddings out of the Town Hall.

Following discussion Cllr Kendall MOVED and Cllr G Barrett SECONDED the recommendations in the report. Members voted and it was RESOLVED to:

R1: Delegate authority for the Director of Assets and Investment to negotiate an agreement with Brentwood Council for Voluntary Services to manage weddings/civil ceremonies at Merrymeade House.

R2: Ensure that the change to the Wedding /Civil Ceremonies is clearly communicated to the public via the Council’s website

Reason for Recommendation

There is a staff resource to manage these bookings, meet and greet the registrar and the couples undertaking the wedding/civil service as well as caretaker support to reconfiguring the committee room furniture. The income that is generated is split between Essex County Council and Brentwood Borough Council.

The ceremonies have been reduced to just two days a week due to the ongoing staff resource requirements, so by moving them out of the Town Hall a much better offer could be provided. Merrymeade House can accommodate a similar number of guests plus the wedding party. It is a Grade II listed building so is an attractive addition for the photographs and has a tearoom which could offer a wedding breakfast option as well.

It also offers Brentwood Council for Voluntary Services (CVS) an opportunity for an additional income stream which could reduce the core funding requirements from the Council going forward.