Decision Maker: Cabinet

Outcome: Recommendations Approved

Is Key Decision?: No

Is Callable In?: No

Date of Decision: February 11, 2025

Purpose:

Content: RESOLVED: Cabinet; 1.     Recommended a capital budget of £1.076 million to fund the demolition of vacant buildings, including those identified in this report, and allied activity. 2.     Recommended that Council authorised the Executive Director Finance to create further budget or budgets up to a total of £2 million for further demolitions of vacant buildings. 3.     Authorised the Assistant Director Assets & Environment to procure demolition and allied works including award of contracts where (a) the buildings are identified in this report; or (b) they are subsequently identified and the Executive Director Finance in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance approves demolition on grounds of expected reductions in liabilities.   REASONS RESOLVED: 1.     The identified buildings are non-functional and have no future purpose in their current form, whether for service delivery or disposal. Demolition would thus add to the value of the sites. The same applies to any future such buildings. 2.     The identified buildings are a source of danger to the public, specifically those entering the sites without authorisation. Demolition would mitigate these risks. The same applies to any future such buildings. 3.     Both those buildings identified in the report and those which may be identified incur management costs for the Council, which demolition would mitigate.   ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS: 1.     In each case the Council has the choice whether to demolish the building or it leave it standing. Given the significant costs and risks associated with retaining the buildings, in each case demolition is recommended. 2.     In the case of buildings not identified in this report, the Council could consider each proposal individually at Cabinet and, depending on the costs involved, full Council, or it could authorise the Executive Director Finance to approve funds for such demolitions where there was a sufficiently strong case. It is recommended that the Executive Director is authorised as this would avoid unnecessary referrals of such matters to Cabinet and Council, allowing those meetings to focus on more strategic matters.