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WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR TREASURY AND RESOURCES BY DEPUTY J.H. YOUNG OF ST. BRELADE
ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 1st APRIL 2014
Question
Will the Minister provide an chronology and account of the Property Holdings stewardship of the workshop and office building, 1 Oxford Road, St Helier, which in 1996 was left to the Island by the will of late Mr Harold Le Seelleur; and inform the Assembly of the Minister's proposals to ensure the will's intentions "for the benefit of the aged, infirm and needy residents of the Island' are realized?
Answer
The Oxford Road building, together with a number of residential properties, was left to the Public by the late Mr Le Seelleur. Stewardship of those assets rests with the Minister for Health and Social Services and until March 2013 the responsibility for the property lay with that Minister and Department.
Members may be aware that there have been two attempts in the recent past to dispose of the Oxford Road workshop, both of which were rejected by the States Assembly.
In April 2003 the (then) Health and Social Services Committee brought forward a proposition to dispose of the property (P52/2003) refers. This was defeated by 29 votes to 15.
The property was included for disposal in the Annual Business Plan 2007: Property Plan (P34/2007). The second amendment to that proposition, tabled by Senator B. E. Shenton, seeking to remove the Oxford Road property from the schedule of proposed disposal, was supported by 25 votes to 19 with one abstention.
In March 2013 , the Health Minister signed a Ministerial decision (MD-HSS-2013-0011) requesting Jersey Property Holdings to, inter alia, carry out a review of the H E Le Seelleur properties and bring forward proposals for their future use.
Since that decision a number of actions have taken place:
- A decent homes' survey of the residential properties has been undertaken, which has identified improvements to the properties that are required to bring them up to decent homes standards as well as other works that should be undertaken in the immediate, medium and longer term.
- Investment advice has been secured with regard to the portfolio's composition.
- A property and investment strategy based on the advice received has been drafted and discussed with the Health Minister.
Some urgent works funded from JPH revenue budget have been completed and others are in progress to address structural and health and safety issues at the Oxford Road property. These works include:
- decontamination of building floors and pest control within the building;
- support propping of the first floor and to roof areas;
- removal of asbestos based flue; and
- roof repairs to maintain a wind and watertight structure.
These works are being undertaken in full consultation with the Principal Historic Environmental Officer. The draft strategy recommends the disposal of some of the properties within the portfolio, including the Oxford Road building. The draft strategy further recommends the reinvestment of funds from the disposals to both address the identified deficiencies in the properties and to provide an increase in the fund's cash available for investment in alternative asset classes.
It is anticipated that the draft strategy will be considered by the Health Minister within the next month and, subject to its approval, the process to dispose of the Oxford Road workshop will commence. Such a disposal would not be subject to Standing Order 168, as this applies to States assets only. The Le Seelleur properties are held by the States in trust.
The implementation of the strategy will also enable funds of £1 million to be released in the current year to support the refurbishment of The Limes residential home, as approved within the Medium Term Financial Plan.
Any other proposed use of funds outside the agreed maintenance and investment in the property portfolio must comply with the late Mr. Le Seelleur's wishes and will require the approval of the Health Minister.