Annual Business Plan 2007: Comments on Projet P.34/2007 lodged by Deputy A. Breckon.

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A decision made (12/04/2007) regarding: Annual Business Plan 2007: Comments on Projet P.34/2007 lodged by Deputy A. Breckon.

Subject:	Annual Business Plan 2007: Comments on Projet P.34/2007 lodged by Deputy A Breckon
Decision Reference:	MD-PH-2007-0032	Exempt clause(s):	None
Type of Report: (oral or written)	Written	Person Giving Report (if oral):	N/A
Telephone or e-mail Meeting?	N/A	Report File ref:	PT 97/1
Written Report – Title	Annual Business Plan 2007: Property Plan (P34/2007) Amendment 1.	Written report - author	P Tucker Assistant Director - Property Holdings
Decision(s): The Minister approved the draft comments on the projet “Annual Business Plan 2007: Property Plan (P.34/2007) – Amendment” lodged by Deputy A Breckon, and agreed that they should be presented on 12 April 2007.
Reason(s) for decision: The Minister is in agreement with the draft comments and wishes them to be presented for consideration by the States when the projet (P.34/2007) lodged by Deputy A Breckon seeking the exclusion of Samarès School Houses 1 and 2 from the disposal schedule of the Property Plan is debated.
Action required: States Greffier to be requested to present the Minister’s comments on 12 April 2007 for consideration by the States Assembly when P.34/2007 is debated on 17 April 2007.
Signature: Minister Senator T.A. Le Sueur		Date of Decision: 12 April 2007

Annual Business Plan 2007: Comments on Projet P.34/2007 lodged by Deputy A. Breckon.

Annual Business Plan 2007: Property Plan (P34/2007) Amendment 1.

Draft Comments.

PT 97/1

Deputy Breckon’s amendment requests the States to remove the Samarès School Houses 1 and 2 from the list of property recommended for disposal in 2007. His main argument is that these properties could be better used to provide staff with accommodation which otherwise has to be leased from the private sector.

The reason that these properties are being recommended for sale is that they are no longer required as staff accommodation by the Education Sport and Culture Department nor by other departments of the States. In particular, the Health and Social Services Department, which is the largest States provider of staff accommodation, has no immediate need for this type of dwelling. In addition, Property Holdings is retaining and making available for rent to staff, if required, two houses at Howard Davis Farm, as well as one in St Mary and one in St Saviour.

Deputy Breckon refers to three transactions reported to the States in R.6, R.17 and R.22/2007, citing them as examples of the States paying inflated rents to private landlords in order to house staff. The ministerial decisions related to these reports, published on the States website, do not refer to staff as none of these transactions relate to staff accommodation. Two of the transactions relate to property which is part of the Le Seelleur portfolio and is being leased by the States to private individuals.

In these circumstances the Minister does not support this amendment.