Colin James Posted June 16, 2015 Report Posted June 16, 2015 Herefordshire Council has purchased Three Elms Trading Estate according to their website newsdesk. Herefordshire Council has purchased Three Elms Trading Estate from the Homes and Communities Agency for £1.75m. The purchase was made to support the economic growth of the city; providing existing and new commercial premises to attract new business and enable the growth of existing ones. The purchase of the estate also unlocks access to an acre of council land which could be developed to provide further opportunities to attract new business to the city. Councillor Harry Bramer, cabinet member contracts and assets said, “The purchase of the estate is firmly aligned with the council’s objectives to create more jobs in Hereford in order to stimulate economic growth. We have worked incredibly hard over the last several years to develop Hereford’s core with the development of Old Market, to achieve Enterprise Zone status for Rotherwas Industrial Estate and to construct the City Link Road; which will unlock city centre development land. The purchase of Three Elms complements the efforts made so far to focus on a prosperous future for the city.â€
Colin James Posted June 16, 2015 Author Report Posted June 16, 2015 They have also written off huge debts according to this article in the HT: DEBTS worth nearly £600,000 have been written off by Herefordshire Council - with unpaid business rates making up much of the total. New figures show that between November and March, the council wrote off £437,000 in debts over £2,000 - the threshold that requires a report from the chief financial officer. Over the same period, £152,000 worth of debts under £2,000 were written off, taking the overall total to £589,000. Debts written off by the council represent a very low proportion of income collected with council tax raising £81 million and business rates £45 million. The council's finance procedure rules stipulate that authorisations for writing off debt over £20,000 mean the chief finance officer seeking agreement from the relevant cabinet for resources. Five cases came into that category between November-March including: - £169,000 in business rates due from four companies that went into receivership with no monies available for distribution to creditors. - £32,000 relating to council tax owed on a number of properties due to the bankruptcy of the landlord. Where debts of over £2,000 were involved the council wrote off: - 30 cases related to business rates (of which 50 per cent goes to central government) worth £328,000. - 11 cases of unpaid council tax together worth £55,000. - Five cases representing £30,000 of "general debt". - Seven cases of benefit overpayment totalling £24,000. Debts are only written off once full debt recovery processes are completed, occasionally debt previously written off becomes payable if the debtors circumstances change. Though the council works with statutory bodies, legal processes can take months, even years, to conclude before a write off is sanctioned.
Clarkester Posted June 16, 2015 Report Posted June 16, 2015 It worries me as to what the plans for Three Elms Trading Estate will be... Will there be another attempt to land-grab the tennis courts as there previously, but unsuccessfully, was? Bring back Freezer Fayre I say... That would show the likes of Aldi & Lidl a thing or two about budget shopping!!
Aylestone Voice Posted June 16, 2015 Report Posted June 16, 2015 I guess many of us are missing Freezer Fayre and Meadow Market
dippyhippy Posted June 16, 2015 Report Posted June 16, 2015 Didn't they buy this because they already own a parcel of land up there, but without access? If somebody else had bought The Three Elms Trading Estate, they would have an expensive piece of land, with no right of access to it! Somebody, somewhere made a huge mistake..... but as usual, nobody will be held accountable, and the good old taxpayer will pick up the bill. Still, with all of these highly salaried positions now being filled, I'm sure this sort of error won't happen again.......
dippyhippy Posted June 16, 2015 Report Posted June 16, 2015 £32000.00 council tax, written off, because landlords went bankrupt. Yet they make ordinary residents lives a misery, with threats of legal action and bailiffs, if a payment isn't made. That sounds fair and proportional, doesn't it?
greenknight Posted June 16, 2015 Report Posted June 16, 2015 The council is getting its ducks in a row, and blow everything else.
Slim Posted June 16, 2015 Report Posted June 16, 2015 Humm, I have a couple of irons in this fire. First of all, may I comment on a recent thread of people not posting. I read a lot of comments and sometimes do not feel that I am qualified to comment. It does not mean that I am not interested! However, to point in hand. My wife and I are both active and dedicated members of The Grandstand and Bobblestock Community, and have "fought" alongside Charles Nicholls, our illustrious Mayor, with numerous others, including Jesse Norman, to save the tennis courts. The Association, as I understand, is on the brink of acquiring Westfields Ground from the Council to run it as a charity concern. I would hate it after all the effort put in by the committee and members was undone by skulduggery on behalf of the Council.
Frank Smith Posted June 16, 2015 Report Posted June 16, 2015 Humm, I have a couple of irons in this fire. First of all, may I comment on a recent thread of people not posting. I read a lot of comments and sometimes do not feel that I am qualified to comment. It does not mean that I am not interested! However, to point in hand. My wife and I are both active and dedicated members of The Grandstand and Bobblestock Community, and have "fought" alongside Charles Nicholls, our illustrious Mayor, with numerous others, including Jesse Norman, to save the tennis courts. The Association, as I understand, is on the brink of acquiring Westfields Ground from the Council to run it as a charity concern. I would hate it after all the effort put in by the committee and members was undone by skulduggery on behalf of the Council. Your comments are always welcome Slim, the majority of us are not qualified but we share our views all the same. Good to see you joining in the debate.
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