Issue - meetings

Key Decision

Portfolio Holder

Councillor Tom Hollis – Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Council and Social Housing

RESOLVED that

a)    the process officers have followed to review the viability and future use of Council owned garage and plot sites to date, be noted;

b)    the designated sites stated in this report as surplus on the basis of their limited current use, the lack of suitable alternative uses and the investment that is required to make them viable for any other purpose, be approved;

c)    delegated authority be granted to the Director of Resources and Business Transformation, in conjunction with the Director of Legal and Governance (and Monitoring Officer) and the Corporate Finance Manager (and Section 151 Officer), to dispose of the designated sites with disposal being in accordance with the Council’s Disposals Policy and will be on the basis of achieving best value, with any further negotiations with Service Manager for Commercial Development).

c)

Cabinet was advised as to the outcomes of the review regarding viability and future use of Council owned garage and plot sites and recommended to consider disposal of those sites considered unviable and not suitable to be used for affordable housing development.

Members considered the alternative option of declining to dispose of the designated sites but this was not deemed appropriate as a number of sites required significant investment with little likelihood of any expenditure being recovered through rental income.

RESOLVED that

a)    the process officers have followed to review the viability and future use of Council owned garage and plot sites to date, be noted;

b)    the designated sites stated in this report as surplus on the basis of their limited current use, the lack of suitable alternative uses and the investment that is required to make them viable for any other purpose, be approved;

c)    delegated authority be granted to the Director of Resources and Business Transformation, in conjunction with the Director of Legal and Governance (and Monitoring Officer) and the Corporate Finance Manager (and Section 151 Officer), to dispose of the designated sites with disposal being in accordance with the Council’s Disposals Policy and will be on the basis of achieving best value, with any further negotiations with Service Manager for Commercial Development).

Reason:

On completion of the review, a small number of sites had been identified as being suitable for affordable housing development but where this was not possible, consideration was required for disposing of the sites. Doing so would ensure the costs associated with ongoing repairs and maintenance were brought to an end, capital receipts would be generated that could be reinvested and any new owners would have the opportunity to regenerate the sites.