Best Value Performance & Efficiency Sub-committee Of The Policy & Resources Committee - 11/11/2004

At a MEETING of the BEST VALUE SUB-COMMITTEE of the POLICY AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 11th November, 2004.

Present:-

BAILIES

Charles D P FARQUHAR (substitute for Councillor Jill Shimi)

Bruce D MACKIE

COUNCILLORS

George REGAN (substitute for Councillor Fiona Grant)

Fraser MACPHERSON

Christina ROBERTS (substitute for Councillor Willie Sawers)

Nigel DON (substitute for Councillor Joe FitzPatrick)

In the absence of the Convener and Depute Convener, Bailie Farquhar took the Chair.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

I BEST VALUE REVIEW OF METHODS OF DEALING WITH DERELICT LAND AND PROPERTY IN DISREPAIR

There was submitted Report No 731-2004 by the Depute Chief Executive (Support Services) seeking approval of the Best Value Review of the current approach to tackling the problems with Derelict Land and Property in Disrepair and the improved usage of legal powers, staff and financial resources as detailed in the report.

The Depute Chief Executive (Support Services) explained the background to the report and the scope of the proposals.

The Sub-Committee:-

(a)agreed to the establishment of a permanent cross Departmental multi-disciplined task team to be led by Support Services and to include representatives from Finance, Planning & Transportation, Housing, Environmental Health & Trading Standards, Waste Management and Communities Departments.

(b)agreed that the task team members, whilst continuing to be based in their respective Departments, should operate on a "virtual team" basis, meeting as required to progress solutions for each problem area of land or property in the short and/or long term.

(c)agreed that the task team be chaired by the Support Services Department Officer and would work on the basis of complaints or referrals of problem land and property to the Chair of the team from Elected Members, officers and members of the public.

(d)authorised such delegated powers as were necessary to allow the team to investigate problem areas and properties; to identify options in legal, financial and community terms; to identify and consult with appropriate parties; to take any action which was currently delegated to Officers and report to Committee(s) with proposals for any action which has not so delegated.

(e)authorised the team to second from time to time such Officers from other Departments as may be necessary.

(f)agreed that, with the exception of dangerous buildings, no department should use legal powers, staff or financial resources to deal with derelict land or buildings outwith the Council's ownership without referring the issue to the task team in the first instance. Thereafter, the task team would take or arrange for decisions to be taken and referrals would be made back to the appropriate Departments for implementation.

(g)agreed that the task team would arrange for all available legal recovery actions to be taken against owners who failed to reimburse the Council for any costs and that this would include Charging Orders, Compulsory Purchase and selling of land and buildings.

CHARLES FARQUHAR, Convener.