Legal and Property Services Department December 2005
There follows some items from the Department’s workload which may be of interest to Members:-
Job Evaluation
Job Evaluation is taking place within the Department and will continue into the New Year. On average each evaluation is taking 3-4 hours.
Conveyancing
Land acquisition in respect of 10 Poolstock, Wigan was completed
Sales of land at Petticoat Lane Ince and Bank Street Golborne, both for residential development have been completed.
Voluntary registration of 7 more housing estates have been completed since the last Bulletin and also the voluntary registration of the PFI Centre title
During November/December – 53 Right to Buy properties have been sold.
Common Law
Prosecutions
A number of successful Benefit Fraud, Overloading and School Attendance prosecutions have recently been completed.
A recent prosecution resulted in a parent receiving a 35-day prison sentence for failing to ensure the child’s attendance at school. The parent had been prosecuted on a number of previous occasions and the Court felt that it had no alternative.
Travellers
We have secured Possession Orders in respect of a number of unauthorised encampments in the Borough on land at Platt Bridge, Poolstock and Ince.
Traffic Orders
Work is progressing on a number of permanent traffic orders throughout the Borough.
A number of temporary orders to enable sewer works and carriageway resurfacing works have been made. Orders have also been made to temporarily close streets in Leigh and Ashton to facilitate the switching on of the Christmas lights.
Trees
Orders protecting trees at various sites throughout the Borough have been made including:-
Hough Lane, Astley
Manchester Road, Tyldesley
St. Thomas’ Rectory, Golborne
Appleton Farm, Goose Green
Gathurst Lane, Shevington
Pemberton Road, Winstanley
Wells Close, Tyldesley
Chelmsford Mews, Wigan
Beech Hall, Wigan
Roundmoor Road, Standish
Hemfold Road, Tyldesley
Contracts
Work is progressing on a number of schemes including –
Low Bank Ground
Ince Central Estate – Remedial Works
Internal Painting/Decoration – various Sheltered Accommodation and Area Housing Offices
Lamberhead Green Junior and Infant School
Ombudsman
12 complaints are currently being investigated by the Ombudsman. 4 are being dealt with under the Council’s own Complaints Procedure. The Ombudsman has notified us of 12 complaints which she does not intend to pursue because they (a) fall outside her jurisdiction (b) local settlements have been reached or (c) the Ombudsman is satisfied with the Council’s response and decided that no further investigation is necessary.
Asset Management Service
- Markets Improvement Plan – 2005/06 major schemes to be funded from disposal of surplus Marus Bridge Wholesale Market.
- Sale by auction of a plot of land at Tyldesley produced a capital receipt in excess of the estimate and indicates continuing interest in small scale speculative residential development in the Borough. Further sales at auction are to be considered – including the Marus Bridge site
- Cabinet approves the redevelopment proposition put forward by the Council for the Borsdane Precinct site. Agreement of the head lessee and tenants is now to be pursued. There is some optimism that this will lead to the redevelopment of this site in the next 2-3 years depending on the willingness of all parties.
- The review of Non-Operational Land is progressing and several sites capable of reuse or redevelopment have been identified in the first batch. The disposal of these sites will be investigated further and will be released for Member consultation over the next few months
- The potential for significant savings in the Council’s use of energy has identified a number of energy management initiatives. A new heat generating system has been installed at Howe Bridge Sports Centre comprising of new boilers and Combined Heat & Power (CHP) unit which produces electricity for the site and exports any surplus to the National Grid. Funding for the scheme was obtained through the Council’s new prudential borrowing permissions and debt charges are covered by the savings produced through the installation of more efficient plant. Further similar schemes are being considered at Trencherfield Mill (Steam Engine boiler and energy recovery unit) and replacement air handling units at Howe Bridge.
- Leigh Sports Village – The first tentative steps have been taken upon the construction of the Leigh Sports Village Project with a start on site of the new Pavilion for Leigh East Amateur Rugby League Club which is scheduled for completion in May next year.It is hoped that confirmation of the commencement on the Wigan & Leigh College building, Leigh Harriers track and arena, and the ISC/Pool will come before the end of the year.
- Town Centre Scheme – Shepherd’s the Contractor for the Town Centre Redevelopment have confirmed that the scheme is on target for completion by Easter 2007 and the erection of the steel works will be complete by March 2006.The final accommodation works on the Civic Centre Car Park are also nearing completion and this will be returned to full operational capacity by the beginning of 2006.