Issue - meetings

To consider a report by the Projects and Assets Manager.

  Agreed that the disposal of Council-owned land at St. Mary’s Street, Huntingdon in this financial year using an approved agent be approved and the best price sought; and authorised the Head of Resources, after consultation with the Executive Councillor for Resources, to act in the best interest of the authority on the sale of the site.

Further to Minute No.12/82 the Cabinet considered a report by the Projects and Assets Manager (a copy of which is appended in the Annex to the Minute Book) outlining the latest position with regard to the sale of an area of Council-owned land at St. Mary’s Street, Huntingdon.

In response to the views expressed by the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Economic Well-Being) on the matter, the Cabinet stressed that the Council was not in a position to build its own accommodation on the site and that the provision of social housing should remain with the appropriate registered landlords.

Having referred to the need to produce a strategy for the future disposal and acquisition of assets, the Cabinet

RESOLVED

  (a)  that the disposal of Council-owned land at St. Mary’s Street, Huntingdon in this financial year using an approved agent be approved and the best price sought; and

  (b)  that the Head of Resources, after consultation with the Executive Councillor for Resources, be authorised to act in the best interest of the authority on the sale of the site.

To consider a report by the Projects and Assets Manager.

(Executive Leader J D Ablewhite and Councillor J A Gray, Executive Councillor for Resources were in attendance for the discussion on this item).

With the assistance of a report by the Projects and Assets Manager (a copy of which is appended in the annex to the Minute Book) the Panel considered a proposal to sell Council owned land at the front of the Pathfinder House site fronting St Mary’s Street. During the discussion, a number of Panel Members expressed concerns about the process that had been employed to arrive at the recommendation in the report. In response, Members were advised how the Executive Councillor’s priorities had been applied and that it was his belief that the recommendations offered the best approach. Having been advised that  work was underway to prepare a report on the Council’s future approach to capital investment, the view was expressed that the absence of this Strategy should not hinder the Council from disposing of other small parcels of land in its ownership at the current time.

It was noted that the Executive Councillor would not accept the best offer for the site unless it was of a certain value and that the Chairman of the Panel would refer Members’ concerns to the Cabinet. Whereupon it was

RESOLVED

that the Cabinet be recommended to :-

(a)  agree to the sale of the St Mary’s Street site in the current financial year using the approved agent and the best price sought; and

(b)  delegate responsibility to the Head of Resources (after consultation with the Executive Councillor for Resources) to accept the best offer for the sale of the site.