Council's £1 million sell-off

COUNCIL bosses at Warrington will be asked tonight (Thursday) to approve, in principle, the sale of 24 properties with an estimated value of more than £1 million.
They include Lymm Youth Club and Lymm Royal British Legion Club, Bewsey Old School, Sandy Lane Depot, waste site and community centre at Stockton Heath and the Family Centre in Brooke Avenue, Westy.
Four years ago, the council’s executive board approved the disposal of properties identified from a strategic property review exercise.
Since then, the sale of a first phase of properties has generated receipts of more than £2.7 million
The 24 properties now proposed for sale would form a second phase which it is expected would realise more than £1 million, plus costs to cover professional fees.
They include 10 areas of vacant land or buildings in Booths Hill Close, Lymm, Farrell Street, Howley Lane, Winwick Road, Green Street and Kerfoot Street, Warrington, Currans Road, Orford and Warrington Road, Glazebury, garage sites in John Road, Lymm, Ellen Street and Kimberley Street, Warrington and Central Avenue, Orford.
Residents of Lymm are campaigning vigorously to save the youth club building, off Bridgewater Street and a campaign is also being fought at Stockton Heath to save the waste site.
The Sandy Lane community centre is used on a daily basis and Bewsey Old School is used for offices.
Three properties in Central Avenue and West Avenue, Orford, are the subject of long leases. Land at the rear of Warrington Road, Glazebury, is subject to an agricultural lease.
If the executive board agrees to sell the sites, consultation would take place with ward councillors, parish councils, occupants or tenants and local residents where it is considered the sale may have an impact on them.
Properties could be sold by private treaty, tender of auction.
In addition to generating capital receipts, the sales would also result in savings on repairs, maintenance and management.
If the sales do not go ahead, there could be a “significant impact” on the council’s ability to fund frontline services, according to a report by Coun Bob Barr, executive member for planning and regeneration and Andy Farrall, director of environment and regeneration.
It would also have an impact on the council’s ability to make cost savings, ensure continuing income to support the capital programme and demonstrate good asset management to the Audit Commission.