Issue - meetings

Background:

This report set out a proposal to declare 139A Palmerston Road, Chatham surplus, so that it could be disposed of for best consideration.

It was noted that the Council owned the freehold of the site, as shown on the plan attached to the report. The Lodge had been occupied until recently by a service tenant who was accommodated at the Lodge for the betterment of duties carried out at the cemetery.  Now that the tenant had vacated the Lodge, it had become surplus to Council requirements as the duties undertaken at the cemetery were no longer required.

It was reported that the property could either be retained or sold. If sold a capital receipt would be obtained, which the Council could use towards funding service priorities/reducing debt and the disposal would also hopefully result in further investment in the Medway area. If the property was retained it was likely to remain empty, as the cost of bringing the property up to a standard so that it could be let as a council house was considered to be prohibitive when compared to the rental income.

Reasons:

To reduce revenue costs, realise a capital receipt and gain investment in the Medway area.