Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Director of Environment and Housing which seeks approval to surrender 13 existing leases and grant 99-year leases at less than best consideration to LATCH (Leeds Action to Create Homes). The report details how this will enable LATCH to secure additional finances to undertake a programme of acquisition and refurbishment of privately owned empty properties across the city

Further to Minute No. 35, 4^th July 2007, the Director of Environment and Housing submitted a report which sought approval to surrender 13 existing leases and grant 99-year leases at ‘less than best’ consideration to LATCH (Leeds Action to Create Homes). The report detailed how this would enable LATCH to secure additional finances in order to undertake a programme of acquisition and refurbishment of privately owned empty properties across the city.

Responding to a Member’s enquiry, officers undertook to ensure that the Council would work with the relevant organisations in order to ensure that any properties involved in this and similar schemes would be brought back into use within a specified timescale.

RESOLVED –

(a)  That a recommendation to surrender 13 existing leases to LATCH, be approved;

(b)  That approval be given to enter into new 99-year Leases at ‘Less Than Best’ consideration in order to enable LATCH to secure additional finances and enter into a programme of acquisition and renovation of empty properties in Leeds;

(c)  That the necessary authority be delegated to the Director of City Development in order to approve the terms of the new leases at ‘Less than Best’ consideration, based upon a peppercorn rent calculated at £1 per annum per property by January 2016.