Issue - meetings

Matthew Tidmarsh, Head of Asset Management, presented a report setting out the methodology to enable the council to achieve a sustainable long term reduction in its property portfolio, in line with the Corporate Strategy. It was reported that it was intended that around half of the 220 properties under consideration in the ownership of the County Council would be retained for future use.

The strategy would lead to the creation of "Neighbourhood Centres", multi-functional premises which would form the basis of service delivery in an area. It was made clear that the report now presented was a methodology for achieving this change and not at this stage a list of properties to be retained or disposed of, which would require further analysis.

It was confirmed that the County Council would work extensively with partner organisations to explore options for shared facilities.

Resolved: That

1.  the proposed strategy for the reduction of the County Council's corporate operational property and methodology for the delivery of public facing services from a series of multi-functional 'Neighbourhood Centres' be approved

2.  the evaluation of identified datasets and subsequent consultation on the recommendations for the final selection of premises to become Neighbourhood Centres be approved.

3.  approval be given for contact to be made with relevant public sector partners, including the voluntary sector, to explore opportunities for co-location and sharing of service delivery. 

4.  approval be given for the estimated cost of works required to premises to deliver the Property Strategy (Neighbourhood Centres) to be added to the Capital Programme, and that detailed phasing of the required expenditure be  provided in subsequent reports.

Matthew Tidmarsh, Head of Asset Management, presented a report setting out a methodology to enable the County Council to achieve a sustainable long term reduction in the council's corporate property portfolio to align with the aspirations of the Corporate Strategy and to enable the future successful delivery of public facing services. An Equality Analysis was presented at Appendix 'B' to the report.

The Committee was informed that it was intended that 112 out of the 220 properties under consideration would be retained and transformed into multi-functional 'Neighbourhood Centres' that would  provide a range of front facing council services.  The reduction from 220 premises would be based upon need assessed in 34 Service Planning Areas across the county using the 2015 English Indices of Multiple Deprivation.

It was stressed that no decisions had been taken on the final 112 premises that would be recommended to become 'Neighbourhood Centres'.  Approval of the proposed Strategy would enable detailed analysis and consultations to be undertaken on the premises to be retained or disposed of using the agreed methodology.

It was felt that that members would have a key role to play in determining the selection of premises to become Neighbourhood Centres and in exploring opportunities for co-location and sharing service delivery with partners including District Councils. Members also considered the need to align the new Neighbourhood Centres with various service delivery plans e.g. Library Strategy and the Wellbeing, Prevention and Early Health Strategy as being vital.

It was also felt that briefings should be held to enable members to discuss and present local knowledge on the options for the use of premises to deliver services locally.

Resolved:  That the recommendations set out in the report to Cabinet be noted, and that apart from the above-mentioned observations no additional comments or alternative suggestions be made.