Flintshire Council owned buildings under review in latest Asset Management Plan

Some of Flintshire Council’s £780m property and land assets could be sold off in a bid to raise funds and reduce costs.

The council has updated its Corporate Asset Management Plan as the authority looks to make best financial use of its land and buildings.

The plan would see the council use fewer buildings, with an aim to use other buildings “more efficiently”.

According to the Local Democracy Reporter Service, a report with the draft plan is to be presented to members of the council’s Corporate Resources and Overview scrutiny committee this week.

It shows the council’s assets, mainly land and property, are currently worth more than £780m.

In the last three years, the council has received more than £3.8m from the sale of assets, in capital receipts.

The updated plan for 2022-2027 will be presented to the committee on Friday, replacing the previous one which covered 2019-2026.

It has been revised due to the demands of the Welsh Government policy for net zero carbon public sector by 2030, the Future Generation Act and the Council’s own Climate Change strategy which was adopted in February this year.

The draft plan, introduced by Cllr Billy Mullins, Cabinet Member for Governance and Corporate Services including Health and Safety and Human Resources, sets out how the council will “continue to seek and utilise technological advancements”, as and when they become available, to “work flexibly to complement the ever changing customer service landscape.”

It states: “Ultimately our overarching aim is to use fewer buildings but use these far more efficiently and in partnership where possible.”

The plan states that the council manages a property portfolio of more than 7,845 homes, of which 7,315 are managed through its Housing team portfolio and another 530 properties managed through its Valuation and Estates team.

One of the options the council is looking at is to potentially hive off industrial units and land which generate income in rent but could become costly to maintain in the future.

The draft plan states: “The council has a wide-ranging portfolio of industrial units and land which produces a rental income of circa £1.5 million per year.

“However, the built estate is ageing and has received little investment. To this end, a review programme has commenced which will look at the future viability of each estate.

“The initial review has focused on the council holdings in Greenfield and Flint within the context of potential access to the Levelling Up Fund.

“Thereafter, there is a need to continue reviews on a site by site basis to enable a detailed strategy which considers each sites viability, whether to invest or dispose and or seek an alternative use.”

Flintshire Council’s Corporate Resources and Overview scrutiny committee will discuss the updated plan when it meets this Friday, September 23.

Rory Sheehan – Local Democracy Reporter / Deeside.com