It was agreed at the previous meeting that, following Council approval of two Motions from Cllr Mrs Roach, investigations be undertaken to look at the options available for the Council to acquire residential care homes and to act as an ‘enabler’ in providing housing facilities. Head of Housing and Property Services to provide a verbal update.
Minutes:
The Head of Housing and Property Services had not been able to attend the meeting but through the Chairman had provided an update regarding the two Council approved Motions from Cllr Mrs Roach. These Motions had been as follows:
1. That the Council considers and investigates the possibility of applying to the Secretary of State to transfer Charlton Lodge to Mid Devon District Council (Localism Act Sect 15) to enable Mid Devon District Council to provide a scheme similar to the Abundant Life Project run at Dartington.
Resolution: Council recommended to support the Motion.
2. That the Council resolves to investigate the possibility of acquiring Charlton Lodge, Orchards :Lea and Bampton residential homes in order to meet unmet housing needs in the district
Resolution: Worthy of further investigation.
The Head of Housing and Property Services (HoHPS) had contacted Mathew Jones, Strategic Property Manager, at Devon County Council advising him of the Council Motions and asked for information as detailed below. Mr Jones had advised that he would respond during the following week.
The HoHPS informed Mr Jones that he was currently looking at carrying out a piece of work to consider the ideas contained within the Motions and would be grateful if he could provide him with some information or point him in the right direction. The following questions were asked:
1. Constitution Part 5 Democracy in Devon identifies that Strategic Heads / Heads of Service should seek to identify property that will become surplus to requirement. Therefore does DCC have any plans for these schemes? Have you a strategy to sell them or redevelop them in some way? Are you able to share these plans with me?
2. Do you have disposal values for these properties and are you able to share these with me? Would DCC be in a position to transfer these properties to say MDDC or the community at less than this value or would they be subject to market valuations or perhaps a long leasehold at a peppercorn rent?
3. Depending on the answer to 1). do you have any existing floor layouts that I can have a copy of to aid consideration as to whether or not they are capable of some sort of conversion?
4. I am aware that these assets are not included on Mid Devon’s Assets of Community Value – are you aware of any other Devon Local Authorities that have nominated them for inclusion onto the register?
Cllr Mrs Roach, who was in attendance, was asked to comment on this item. She stated that it was unfortunate that a question she had asked in February regarding whether it was legally possible for the Council to apply for a transfer of assets, still remained unanswered. She also queried what the actual unmet housing need was within the district. The Chairman responded by saying that it was unfortunate that the HoHPS and the Cabinet Member for Housing had not been able to attend the meeting today due to urgent business in London. However, he would personally contact the HoHPS to feed back the comments made today and would ask him to bring a report to the next meeting which would hopefully contain a detailed response from DCC.