Agenda item

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Evelyn Archer)  

Report of Corporate Director (Finance & Performance). 

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Evelyn Archer)

The Corporate Director (Finance and Performance) 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. The updating of the Strategy bears no risks in itself. Any risks would arise in individual cases should the Council wish to consider the use of the General Disposal Consent to sell land at an under value. 

Option 2 – To update the Corporate Strategy in a manner that reflects Cabinets wishes. This would give the opportunity to consider whether the amount of “under value” referred to in the General Consent is appropriate for the City Council as a District Council. Under the consent, which is available to all authorities regardless of size, the maximum under value is £2m and Cabinet may wish to consider whether a lower value would be appropriate to the City Council. In addition, members may wish to consider whether any additional criteria would be relevant to add into the Corporate Strategy, or whether any are considered to be not relevant. Risks in this option are as identified in option 1. 

Option 3 – Make no changes to the Corporate Strategy as currently written until the revised Government guidelines are in place. The existing Strategy would still be in place as would the General Consent, and the Council could consider how to deal with individual cases as they arose. Risks in this option are as identified in option 1. 

Option 4 – Confirm the Corporate Property Strategy in its current format and not utilise the discretion of the Council to utilise the provisions of the General Disposal Consent should it be so minded. 

The officer preferred option was option 1 in which Cabinet is asked 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. 

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

“That there be no change to the Property Strategy at this time, pending the more extensive review of the Strategy that is expected to be undertaken in the near future.” 

Members then voted as follows. 

Resolved Unanimously:

(1)         That there be no change to the Property Strategy at this time, pending the more extensive review of the Strategy that is expected to be undertaken in the near future.

Officers responsible for effecting the decision:

Corporate Director (Finance and Performance). 

Head of Property Services. 

Reason for making the decision:

The decision for no changes to be made at the current time has been made as a more extensive review of the Strategy is expected to be undertaken in the near future when revised Government guidelines become available.  The decision was also justified as the option to allow for the disposal of assets at less than market value in support of the “well being” powers exists on an ad hoc basis as currently exists under ODPM Circular 06/2003, Local Government Act 1972 – General Disposal Consent (England) 2003.