Issue - meetings

B Report of the Director of Finance and Support

Cabinet adopted the draft Corporate Asset Management Strategy for the period 2010-2013, attached at Appendix 1 of the Cabinet report, and the implementation of the key directions and objectives set out in the Strategy in order to achieve the desired outcomes, that were respectively summarised at 3.2.1 & 3.2.2 of the report.

Councillor Mildren commented that the report was comprehensive and he was pleased to see the new signage around the One Stop Shop.  He noted that the report mentioned “City Status” but did not mention “Unitary Status” and queried whether some aspects of the report invited a County-wide Unitary Authority.  Councillor Mildren also commented that where community assets were transferred to the local community, they would need to be capable of maintaining those assets.  In respect of the proposed Corporate Asset Board, he queried whether this would include cross-party membership and he also queried whether there was an estimated value for the sale of Cliftonville House.  The Chair noted that this report was about a strategy and not about individual properties.

Councillor Clarke commented that the report left several unanswered questions and he referred to page 9 of the Strategy, paragraphs 2.3 to 2.6, and stated that he believed that this would alter the basis on which decisions were made.  Property decisions were currently brought to Cabinet, which allowed for challenge, but how would this work with the formation of a Corporate Asset Board, who would sit on it and where would the challenge come from.  The proposal appeared to be taking decision making away from Councillors; Cabinet should retain sovereignty over this matter. 

The Director of Finance and Support submitted a report, which sought adoption of a Corporate Asset Management Strategy for the period 2010-13.  The Strategy related to all the Council’s non-Council housing assets.  The Director referred, in particular, to the Key Directions and to the objectives and outcomes set out in paragraphs 3.2.1 and 3.2.2 of the report and noted that the proposed Corporate Asset Board would make recommendations to Cabinet.  The Board itself would not have any executive decision making powers.  The Chief Executive commented that there were no proposed changes to the responsibilities of Portfolio Holders or Cabinet.  The aim of the Board was to provide a forum for the Portfolio Holder to seek advice from officers.  Any decisions taken under Delegated Powers would be advertised through the normal processes.  In answer to a question, the Director noted that a similar Board had existed up to 2006/07 and had had wider powers than those currently proposed.

RESOLVED: That the draft Corporate Asset Management Strategy for the period 2010/13, as attached at Appendix 1, be adopted and that the implementation of the key directions and objectives set out in the Strategy in order to achieve the desired outcomes, that were respectively summarised at paragraphs 3.2.1 and 3.2.2 of the report, be agreed.