Meeting Details

The Chair to advise/meeting to note that this meeting will be webcast for live or subsequent broadcast via the Council's Public-I microsite (please click this link) and that members of the press/public may record and take photographs except where there are confidential or exempt items.

Members are reminded they must declare all relevant  pecuniary and other registerable interests arising from any business to be discussed at this meeting.

If a disclosable pecuniary interest is declared a Member must not participate in any discussion or vote on the matter and must not remain in the room unless they have been granted a dispensation.

If other registerable interests are declared a Member may speak on the matter only if members of the public are allowed to speak at the meeting but otherwise must not take part in any discussion or vote on the matter and must not remain in the room unless they have been granted a dispensation.    

If it is a ‘sensitive interest’, Members do not have to disclose the nature of the interest, just that they have an interest.

Information on the Local Government Association’s Model Councillor Code of Conduct is set out via http://bit.ly/3WtGQnN. This includes, at Appendix 1, an interests flowchart which provides a simple guide to declaring interests at meetings.  

a) To highlight reports or appendices which officers have identified as containing exempt information within the meaning of Section 100I of the Local Government Act 1972, and where officers consider that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information, for the reasons outlined in the report.
b) To formally pass the following resolution:-

RESOLVED – That, in accordance with Regulation 4 of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012, the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of those parts of the agenda designated as exempt on the grounds that it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the press and public were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information.

 Role of Cabinet Committee – Property

1. The role of the Committee is to approve proposed sales of council property and assets as part of the Council wide Asset Strategy.

    

2. Birmingham City Council is the single largest owner of property in Birmingham and holds the largest land estate of any UK local authority, extending to 26,000 acres. The portfolio, excluding residential homes, infrastructure and schools has an asset value of over £2.4 billion. Income generating assets attract on average £34 million revenue per annum. There are more than 6,500 property assets (land and buildings) in the portfolio and over 300 of these have historic interest.

    

3. As part of the Council’s Medium term Financial Plan a programme of rationalisation and re[1]gearing of its investment property portfolio has been agreed. The portfolio in scope for the Strategy is comprised of development sites and strategic assets, industrial premises, retail premises and miscellaneous assets located across the city.

    

4. At present (January 2024) the portfolio in scope also includes rental incomes aggregating to approximately £6.7 million per annum and approximately 570 properties.

    

5. The council’s existing Scheme of Delegation to Officers in relation to Property Transactions will remain in place.

    

   Functions of Cabinet Committee – Property

    

6. The Committee’s responsibilities include to exercise full delegated executive powers to consider and make decisions on:

   a. All land and property transactions including the Investment Property portfolio where the City Council has an interest.

   b. The acquisition and disposal of leasehold interests for rent (including the granting and surrendering of any rights over such land and property).

   c.   The acquisition and disposal of freehold and leasehold interests at a premium.

   d.  The management of all of the Council’s land and properties, including the authoring and payment of discretionary contributions towards trade/loss and/or removal expenses and all payments due under an approved Compulsory Purchase Order.

   e.   To report to Cabinet setting out progress on delivery of the receipts target.

   Membership

7. The Cabinet Committee – Property has been established by Cabinet with the following membership: The Leader; The Deputy Leader & Economy and Skills, Cabinet Member for Finance and Cabinet Member for Housing and Homelessness.

    

8. The quorum of a Cabinet Committee shall be two Cabinet Members.

    

9. A substitute member shall be entitled to attend in place of a regular Member provided: That a Cabinet Member may only be substituted by another Cabinet Member; That Committee Services be notified of any substitution before the meeting begins.

    

10. Once an agenda item has begun with a substitute member attending, the regular Member in respect of whom notification has been received, shall not be entitled to vote on the agenda item as a Member of the Cabinet Committee.

     

11. A substitute member will be able to vote during the meeting only when s/he is acting as a substitute for a regular Member.

     

    Attendance by Members of the Opposition

     

12. One Councillor from each of the two main Opposition Groups may attend meetings of the Cabinet Committee – Property.

     

13. Members of the two main Opposition Groups will attend as observers only. They will be entitled to a copy of the agenda (for the sake of clarity this is both the public and private sections) and will be able to participate in the debate but are not allowed to vote on any item.

     

    Rules of Procedure – Cabinet Committee – Property

     

14. Cabinet Committee decisions shall only be taken based on written report(s) from Chief Officers and after any appropriate advice from the Head of Paid Service, Monitoring Officer, and Chief Finance Officer. All reports are to be presented in the template prescribed by the City Solicitor.

     

15. Cabinet Committee decisions are only effective and actionable provided they are taken in accordance with the Constitution, and when posted.