Issue - meetings

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Evelyn Archer)

Report of the Corporate Director (Regeneration) to follow. 

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Evelyn Archer)

The Corporate Director (Regeneration) submitted a report that gave consideration to a revision to the Corporate Property Strategy to allow consideration of sales of property at less than market value. 

The options, options analysis, including risk assessment, were set out in the report as follows: 

Option 1 - To  update the Corporate Property Strategy to provide a framework for allowing consideration of disposal of assets at less than market value, in support of well being powers, and that officers develop such a framework, having regard in particular to legal and financial considerations, the Council's corporate objectives, fairness and openness, and the interests of local taxpayers. 

Option 2 – do nothing. This would result in retaining the Corporate Property Strategy in its current format and would not reflect the ability of the Council to utilise the provisions of the General Disposal Consent should it be so minded. 

The preferred officer option was option 1 in which Cabinet was asked to consider whether it wished to update the Corporate Property Strategy to provide a framework for allowing consideration of the disposal of assets at less than market value in support of the “well being powers” under the provisions of the ODPM Circular 06/2003 Local Government Act 1972: General Disposal Consent (England) 2003. This would then be developed by Officers, for future consideration by Members. 

It was moved by Councillor John Gilbert and seconded by Councillor Roger Mace: -

“That the recommendations as set out in the report be approved, subject to the addition of the following wording: -

·                     and to bring back the Corporate Property Strategy to Cabinet for approval.” 

Resolved:

(5 Members voted in favour (Councillors Ashworth, Bryning, Gilbert, Johnson and Mace) and 3 Members voted against (Councillors Barry, Blamire and Kerr))

(1)     That Cabinet updates the Corporate Property Strategy to provide a framework for allowing consideration of the disposal of assets at less than market value in support of the “well being powers” under the provisions of the ODPM Circular 06/2003, Local Government Act 1972: General Disposal Consent (England) 2003 and to bring back the Corporate Property Strategy to Cabinet for approval. 

Officers responsible for effecting the decision:

Corporate Director (Regeneration). 

Head of Property Services. 

Reason for making the decision:

The decision enables the Corporate Property Strategy to be updated and provides a framework for allowing consideration of disposal of assets at less than market value, in support of well being powers.  Officers, in developing such a framework, will have regard in particular to legal and financial considerations, the Council's corporate objectives, fairness and openness, and the interests of local taxpayers.