To determine how best to take forward the recommendations contained in the Property Management Scrutiny Review which recommendations were considered by the Strategic Monitoring Committee at its meeting on 4th November, 2004.

THAT              (a)        a wider reference group be established to approve the terms of reference of the groups referred to in (b) below and to drive forward the wider review of policies and strategies and management arrangements and to examine targets for performance and finance

and

(b)       the following further groups be formed in line with the Audit Commission’s publication “Hot Property”.

(i)Service Property Group

(ii)Administrative Property Group (Accommodation Board)

(iii)Non Operational Property, with consideration being given to the potential division of consideration of the smallholdings estate and the balance of non-operational property.

The Property Management Scrutiny Review reported to Strategic Monitoring Committee on 4th November, 2004.   Whilst the Strategic Monitoring Committee accepted the Review report which contained some 27 recommendations, they also recognised that the nature and scope of the review meant that there were a number of areas where further work would be required.  Some of that additional work, however, depended on the acceptance of key policy issues by the Executive and it was felt that little would be achieved by asking the Property Review Group to further refine their work.

The Chief Executive was asked to prepare a report for Cabinet to advise how the Executive might best take forward the Executive's consideration of the Property Review.

There are a whole series of options ranging from continuing the process as a single exercise as undertaken by the original Property Review Team, or differently grouping the basic groupings of property referred to in the Audit Commission’s publication “Hot Property”.