Issue - meetings

To consider a report from the Chief Executive.

Cllr Phil Alford, Cabinet Member for Housing, Strategic Assets and Asset Transfer presented the report which provided a six-month update on the Council’s disposal programme.

Cllr Alford explained that the Council had a programme for disposal of sites that are surplus to requirements which generate capital receipts which contribute to the capital programme.  

The report presented a position in respect of completed and projected receipts and a request to declare eight assets as surplus. Also the report requested to authorise the Director of Assets to dispose of the freehold and approve the sale or in their absence the Corporate Director Resources, in consultation with Cabinet Member for Housing, Strategic Assets, Asset Transfer.

Cllr Alford highlighted the key points from the report. He noted that the projected Capital Receipts for the two years from 2021/22 to 2022/23 were initially set at £5.916m. The actual amounts received from sales, net of allowable costs for 2021/22 was £2.892m and £1.827m for 2022/23. A total of £4.719m. In addition, the projected Capital Receipts for 2023/24 had been set at £3.8m reprofiled for 2024/25 at £2.25m and for 2025/26 the target is £1.25m. From 2026 onwards the target is projected at £1m.

Cllr Clare Cape commented on the site at Pewsham Lodge Farms south of Pewsham Way, Chippenham and questioned why the site was on the disposal list as it appeared that the Local Plan had already been processed. The Leader explained that two sites were to be declared surplus and these had been identified in the Reg 19 Local Plan for development. He was very clear that the two sites – Land at Shoddesdon Lane, Ludgershall and Pewsham Lodge Farms south of Pewsham Way, Chippenham, were being declared surplus in order to demonstrate that the land is available for development thereby supporting the Local Plan allocation and this is not pre-judging any decision to be made by the Local plan Inspector at a later date.

Resolved:

1)    Note the current position in respect of receipts for the financial year 2022/3.

2)    Approve the disposal of the 8 assets in Appendix 2 to generate capital receipts in support of the Council’s capital programme.

3)    Authorise the Director for Assets to dispose of the assets, or in their absence the Corporate Director, Resources, in consultation with Cabinet Member for Housing, Strategic Assets, Asset Transfer.

Reason for Decision:

To note the current position in respect of capital receipts for the financial year 2023/24, and confirm the freehold interest in the 8 assets can be sold to generate capital receipts, after a review of the options to determine how the best overall interest of the Council can be achieved.