This report seeks authority to negotiate with the Ministry of Justice on the value and potential Council purchase of Northallerton Prison.  The report also seeks agreement of how the potential purchase should be handled and what further reports are required.

In accepting the recommendations, authority will be given to the Chief Executive to negotiate for the purchase of the Northallerton Prison Site; a valuer will be appointed to act as the Council’s agent and £25,000 will be budgeted for this from the Economic Development Fund and there will be further reports to Cabinet for decisions on the gross value and net value of the site.

The subject of the decision:

This report sought authority to negotiate with the Ministry of Justice on the value and potential Council purchase of Northallerton Prison.  The report also sought agreement of how the potential purchase should be handled and what further reports were required.

Alternative options considered:

None.

The reason for the decision:

The Ministry of Justice had a Government imposed deadline for disposal of the site by the end of March 2015 and had instructed its agents to make preparations to market the site.  However, it had agreed to hold off putting the site on the market in order to allow time for negotiations with the Council.

THE DECISION:

That:-

(1)     authority be given to the Chief Executive to negotiate for the purchase of the Northallerton Prison site;

(2)     a valuer be appointed to act as the Council’s agent and £25,000 be budgeted for this from the Economic Development Fund; and

(3)     there be further reports to Cabinet for decisions on the gross value and net value of the site.