To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Councillors A.C.R Chappell, Mrs M.D. Lloyd-Hayes and J. Stone.

To receive any declarations of interest by Members in respect of items on this agenda.

There were no declarations of interest.

To approve and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on

RESOLVED:   That the Minutes of the meeting held on 15th October, 2004 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

EXCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC AND PRESS

RESOLVED: That under Section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972 th public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involved disclosure of terms proposed or to be proposed by or to the Authority in the course of negotiations for a contract for the acquisition or disposal of property or the supply of goods or services.

To consider the report by the Property Management Review Group on the Council’s Property Holding and Property Services.

This item discloses any terms proposed or to be proposed by or to the Authority in the course of negotiations for a contract for the acquisition or disposal of property or the supply of goods or services.

The Committee considered the report by the Property Management Review Group on the Council’s Property Holding and Property Services.

The Group had submitted a report to the Committee in July and had been requested to prepare a more detailed report including the evidence and analysis which had informed the Group’s recommendations. It was considered that this would provide greater assistance to the Executive in determining what action it wished to take in response to the review’s findings.

The Chief Executive advised that the revised report provided a framework which would assist the Executive.  Given the scope and complexity of the review, it would always be possible to put forward suggestions as to where it might be better reasoned or where further work might be undertaken but it was felt that the point had now been reached where further work would simply delay the consideration of what were very significant recommendations by the Executive.

The Executive welcomed the report and acknowledged the scale and complexity of the review.  It was reiterated that it would be helpful to analyse the lessons which could be learned from the review to inform future reviews.

RESOLVED:   That the findings of the review of the Council’s Property holding and Property Services as set out in its report be recommended to Cabinet.