Lincolnshire County Council has unveiled a strategy to generate £16 million in revenue over the forthcoming three years. The plan includes disposing of 76 sites, which range from former school land, a youth hostel, to notable properties such as Sleaford County Offices, Lincoln’s Crown House, and a former RAF mortuary hangar in Woodhall Spa. The properties are now under review to ensure they deliver the maximum revenue and social value for taxpayers. The proposed sales form part of a wider effort by the council to save an anticipated £1.6 million per year in running costs.
Councillor Liam Kelly stressed the need to prioritise community groups as potential buyers of the properties in order to avert previous missteps where properties were sold and then leased back to the council. However, the proposed plan has provoked demands for greater scrutiny. This has resulted in an amendment to the proposal, passed by the opposition councillors, mandating that all sales must be debated within the committee.
The ongoing vigilance over potential buyers was underscored by Councillor Tom Dyer. He cited past instances of interest in the properties from drug networks and possible misuse by official bodies including the Home Office. The issues at stake underline the necessity to carefully review and scrutinise potential buyers to prevent misuse of the properties.
This article has been adapted from an original report by the BBC.
