Issue - meetings

Consideration was given to a report which provided an overview in respect to an area of land and building known as the “Former DSO Building” and details of a recent request from the Council to enter into a land swap agreement which would be exchanged with other land owned by Council not covered by the charitable trust. 

The background to the site and the proposals were outlined in the report.

The former DSO Building was situated on Charity Land and had been part of various marketing campaigns since 2014 with only limited interest.  A fresh marketing exercise had been undertaken and tenders received. 

Members were informed that the sale had not yet been approved, the members as trustees would approve any sale after a statutory process had been followed.  Members were informed that the building was in a poor state and in urgent need of repair.  Members were requested to authorise the sealing of a deed to grant the licence to allow emergency repairs by the developer at their own risk.

Options Considered

1.         The Committee could choose to do nothing and not proceed with the land swap.

2.         The Committee could choose to obtain independent valuation advice from a surveyor acting on behalf of the Charitable Trust.

RESOLVED that:

1.         The background in respect to the acquisition of the land shown edged red at Appendix One to the report that formed what was the ‘Charity Lane’ be noted.

2.         The request from the Council to enter into an agreement for the Land Swap with the Charitable Trust which involved the land show edged blue on the plan contained with the report which was part of the Charity Land be noted.

3.         An independent chartered surveyor be appointed to prepare valuations of the area of Charity Land in question, together with the area of land owned by the Council in its statutory capacity being shown edged green on the plan (“Green Land”) in the report.  The valuation reports to be prepared in accordance with the Charities (Qualified Surveyors’ Reports) Regulations 1992.

4.         The proposal to proceed with the land swap which involves exchanging the “Blue Land” with the “Green Land” as outlined in the report be advertised in accordance with the statutory consultation strategy detailed in Section 5.1 of the report.

5.         A further report be prepared for consideration by the Charitable Trust Committee when the independent surveyor’s report had been received and the public consultation completed.

6.         A licence be granted to the developer to enter onto Charity Land to undertake the essential works to the former DSO building.