Agenda and minutes

Minutes of the Meeting held on Wednesday, 17^th October, 2018 (previously circulated). 

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 17^th October 2018 were signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

Documents will be circulated seperately.

The Chairman welcomed the Assistant Chief Executive and the Senior Property Officer to the meeting.

The Committee had been provided with a comprehensive list of all the City Council owned land and property within the district. Members considered the information that had been provided in detail and asked a number of questions relating to the Council’s assets.

With such a large amount of property and land it was reported that the cost to maintain this portfolio was approximately £9 million. For the Council to move forward this had to reduce and value for money needed to be identified.

It was agreed that the analysis should distinguish between different types of asset e.g., property used by the Council, small parcels of land and commercial assets.  This would be considered further at the Committee’s January meeting.

A query was raised over the furniture, paintings and silverware the Council owned. It was reported that a valuation had been undertaken recently and this information would be circulated to the Committee.

Regarding an Asset Management Plan, it was reported that a draft Plan had been prepared and it was agreed that this would be circulated to the Committee.

Resolved :-

(1)          That the analysis distinguish between different types of asset e.g., property used by the Council, small parcels of land and commercial assets. This would be considered further at the Committee’s January meeting.

(2)          That details of the valuation of the furniture, paintings and silverware the Council owned be circulated to the Committee.

(3)          That the draft Asset Management Plan be circulated to the Committee.

Report of the Interim Head of Legal and Democratic Services and Monitoring Officer. 

Members were advised that Cabinet at its meeting on 4^th December 2018 agreed :

“That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee be requested to consider the Eden (North) proposals as part of their Work Programme.”

It was agreed that this should be added to the Committee’s Work Programme and that the Eden Project Appraisal document be considered at the January meeting of the Committee.

It was further agreed that the business cases of other upcoming Council projects, to include Local Authority Trading Company projects, be added to the Committee’s Work Programme.

It was noted that the Peer Review Work Programme item would now be considered in January and that Economic Growth Plan would now be considered later in the New Year.

It was agreed that the Commercial Strategy included in the Work Programme could now be removed.

The issue of Public Funerals was raised. It was reported that the NHS were to transfer any public funerals to the City Council, when in the past the NHS had undertaken the funerals. It was noted that the City Council would not receive any additional funding to undertaken this increase in Public Funerals.

It was agreed that an Informal Task Group on this issue should be scoped and reported back to the Committee.

Resolved :-

(1)  That the Eden (North) proposals be added to the Committee’s Work Programme and that the Eden Project Appraisal document be considered at the January meeting of the Committee.

(2)  That the business cases of any of the other upcoming Council projects, to include Local Authority Trading Company projects, be added to the Committee’s Work Programme.

(3)  That an Informal Task Group on Public Funerals be scoped and reported back to Committee.

(4)  That the Commercial Strategy included in the Work Programme be removed.