Agenda item

-        Strategic Director of Environment and Development Services to report.

Councillor Smith, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Environment, introduced a report by the Strategic Director of Environment and Development Services, which set out details with regards to 22 Boston Castle Grove which was a vacant three bedroom cemetery lodge located in the Moorgate area.

The property was previously utilised as tied tenancy accommodation for the cemetery caretaker and was vacated in September, 2009 upon the externalisation of the Cemetery and Crematorium service to Dignity Funerals Limited.

Dignity have confirmed that they do not require accommodation for an on-site caretaker, therefore, options were currently being explored for its future use.

The cemetery workshops and garages were located to the rear of the property and were under utilised.

A number of options have been considered for the future use of the property which involved:- 

·              Option 1 - Retain and re-let as a Council property.

·              Option 2 - Sale to a Registered Provider.

·              Option 3 - Open Market Sale of 22 Boston Castle Grove and retention of garages and workshops.

·              Option 4 - Open Market Sale of 22 Boston Castle Grove, Cemetery Workshops and Garages.

This report set out the details of the consultation with Ward Members, Friends of Boston Castle and Moorgate Cemetery and the Rotherham Family History Society, but recommended that the lodge, workshops and garages be sold together on the open market as detailed in Option 4. This option would generate a significant capital receipt to support the corporate programme and relieve the Council from ongoing maintenance and running costs. It would also increase the marketability and value of the lodge.

If the property was retained, the Council would need to identify funding to undertake works to enable it to be re-let. The property was not currently accounted for within the Decent Homes Programme and the budget was fully committed. The £13,750 funding requirement to support Decent Homes investment in this property was not available within the One Off Properties Budget 2010/11. Therefore, the Council would have to wait until 2011/12 for funding to become available to undertake works.

As the property was not currently within the Housing Revenue Account housing portfolio managed by 2010 Ltd, it would be subject to an additional annual management fee and maintenance cost.

As the properties were classified as general fund, the sale would generate an approximate £190,000 capital receipt to support the corporate capital programme. 

If the workshops were retained then the Council would need to identify funding from the cemeteries budget to enable significant repairs to be undertaken. Currently, there was no money within the budget to support this work.

At a time of fiscal constraint and growing pressures upon capital investment budgets, the effective management of empty homes was paramount, in both financial and service delivery terms.

The presence of empty homes produced a negative perception of neighbourhoods and a negative reaction from customers.

The recovery in the housing market was still fragile and there was no guarantee of a successful sale, should properties be presented to the market for disposal. However, the recent successful disposal of similar properties by the Council, such as 28 Nelson Street, Clifton, suggested an active market interest in acquiring such properties for investment and the property was in an exclusive well sought after area.

If the properties were retained then the Council would need to identify funding to undertake urgent works to prevent health and safety risks.

There was no funding within the cemeteries budget to support approximately £10,000 repairs which were required within the workshops and garages if they were retained.

Councillors Hussain and McNeely fully supported the concerns of Councillor Wootton regarding the need to maintain the workshops in good order.

Resolved:-  That Option 4 be approved for the proposed sale on the open market of 22 Boston Castle Grove, Moorgate Cemetery Workshops and Garages.

(Councillor Wyatt declared a personal interest in this item relating to his employment)