Agenda item

Report of the Remembrancer.

The Sub-Committee considered a report of the Remembrancer which advised Members of the enactment of the Housing and Planning Act, the Bill for which had previously been reported to the Committee. The report advised that the Act included measures to encourage land held in the public sector to be made available for housing development. These measures were:

-       a duty for Government departments (and potentially other public authorities) to engage with other public authorities when developing proposals to dispose of land;

-       a duty for public authorities to prepare and publish annual reports about surplus land-holdings;

-       a power to set broader criteria for the Secretary of State to direct the disposal of public sector land;

-       a duty for local authorities to prepare and publish annual assessments of the sustainability and efficiency of the property estate.

The report also advised that the during the passing of the act, a ministerial statement had been obtained during the passage of the Bill which confirmed that the Act would apply only to City Fund properties.

The City Surveyor explained that at the next meeting the Sub-Committee would be provided with details of the annual reports which it would receive to fulfil the duties within the Act.

RESOLVED – That the Committee notes the report, in particular:-

-       the actions taken to support the City Corporation’s interests during the passage of the Bill for the Act; and

-       the need to implement, in relation to City Fund properties, the new reporting duties in relation to surplus land and the sustainability and efficiency of buildings.