Decision

The Council resolved:-

(i)             to note that previous instructions for enhanced offers were open for acceptance until 30 March 2026, with some discretion given beyond this date. As we are now several months beyond this date, that the Council instruct officers to withdraw the enhanced discretionary terms from any offers that are not accepted by 30 August 2026;

(ii)           to instruct the Chief Officer - Corporate Landlord to advise all parties with accepted offers that these should be legally concluded and title transferred by 30 October 2026;

(iii)          to instruct Chief Officers to report to a future meeting of the Finance and Resources Committee, no later than June 2027, on Masterplanning and redevelopment opportunities for the wider site reflecting risks around homes that may not be in council ownership;

(iv)          to instruct the Chief Officer - Corporate Landlord, following consultation with the Convener of the Finance and Resources Committee and the Convener of the Communities, Housing and Public Protection Committee, only to extend any timescales where substantive progress has already been demonstrated and legal conclusion is expected within an agreed timetable to purchase of the property;

(v)           to note the update from the Chief Officer - Corporate Landlord to the effect that of the 138 affected homes in private ownership in Balnagask, 128 had accepted offers from the Council - 112 of those had been legally concluded and the properties were now vacant, and the Council was still working with the remaining 16; of the 10 remaining properties, 6 were considering their options and the remaining 4 properties involved 2 different owners, one of whom owned 3 properties; and

(vi)          to request the Chief Officer - Corporate Landlord to provide information, where possible, on the number of privately owned properties which were currently occupied and whether they were occupied by the owners themselves or private tenants.