Decision details

Councillor Eamonn O’Brien, the Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Finance and Growth, presented the report which set out the Council’s disposals successes to date, identified property assets that require withdrawal from the ALPDP following community consultation (and one that has been subject to an objection through the Public Open Space advertising process), noted that some assets will be used for short term occupation under licence, and provided an overview of the reviewed 2018 Community Asset Transfer (CAT) policy and toolkit.

Members were happy Rye Croft had been withdrawn and queried the revised CAT toolkit and policy. It was noted that this had been made more accessible and user-friendly to encourage engagement and be more intelligible to the average person. Members noted issues with capacity prevented officers from dealing with CAT requests as quickly as we’d like, with the process being quite involved to ensure the sustainability of sites, and that the new policy and toolkit would also empower Ward Members to support their local communities.

Decision:

Cabinet:

1.    Noted the success of the disposals to date;

2.    Gave approval to withdraw property assets from the ALPDP (as set out in Appendix A);

3.    Accepted the officer recommendation that, following consultation, the land known as Barratt Estate Limefield (land to the west of Wheatfield Close) remains in the ADLP;

4.    Noted that in order to ensure that assets do not remain sterile officers will give consideration to use of short term licences where appropriate (as set out in the report); and

5.    Approved amendments to the policy community asset transfer policy (as set out in Appendices C & D).

Reasons for the decision:

·         To share the success of the ALPDP to date with members and residents of the borough.

·         To allow residents to continue to enjoy the benefits (including health and wellbeing benefits) open space land provides to local communities.

·         To make best use of the Council’s property assets, where a short-term use has been identified to support wider Council policies or strategies or provide economic benefits.

·         To enable the Council to continue to generate capital receipts that can enable other Council projects to be supported.

·         To be clear to the local community on how the 2022 CAT policy and toolkit will support the ALPDP.

Other options considered and rejected:

No other options were considered/were applicable.