Annual Report 2012.pdf (size 5.8 MB) - Offaly County Council

Land ManagementShort-term land lettings were agreed at fifteen locationsfor grazing purposes generating a modest income duringthe year. An application for transfer of 1.56 ha atKilcormac under the Land Aggregation Scheme wassubmitted in 2011 for consideration in 2012. Membersagreed to the disposal of lands at Grogan and SycamoreDrive Ballycumber and at Gallen Ferbane and to thelease of lands at Ard Abhainn Banagher and ElderberryDrive Moneygall. Proceeds from land sales areprincipally used to offset against other land debitbalances.Housing Assessment and Allocations103 tenancy allocations were made across the range ofsocial housing options. The Housing waiting list stood at650 at year end with the greatest demand from theEdenderry area. The increase in the number ofapplications received from homeowners who had theirfamily home repossessed was particularly significant. Itis expected that this trend will continue and possiblyaccelerate in 2013. A housing needs assessment updatewas completed and revisions and amendments to theScheme of Letting Priorities were adopted by SPC andCouncil in June and October 2011.Amendments introduced measures necessary to dealwith the ever changing landscape of social housingapplications and allocation.Tenant PurchaseTenant Purchase Scheme sales peaked in 2006 with almost 40houses sold during the year, generating close to €2m. Bycontrast, two sales were finalised in 2012 generating €96,232for Internal Capital Receipts. The Council contacted 935households in July 2012 to remind them that the 1995Scheme was closing in 2012. No new applications for TPS willbe accepted in 2013. However, it is intended to introduce anew scheme providing for the sale of existing local authorityhouses to tenants on incremental purchase principles. Incontrast to the 1995 scheme, the discounts provided underthe incremental purchase principles will be based onhousehold income rather than length of tenancy, therebyallowing low-income households to move into home ownershipearlier than otherwise might have been possible.The significantly reduced level of activity under TPS continuesto have severe implications for the level of funding availableto deliver programmes across a range of areas and the levelof Internal Capital Reserves available for 2013 is now severelylimited.A new Tenant Purchase Scheme for long-standing tenants wasadopted by members in March 2011. Under the 2011scheme, 380 tenants were deemed eligible and werecontacted with details of how to apply for the scheme. 68applications were received from tenants and 63 valuationscompleted with tenants advised of valuations, discounts andbalances remaining to complete the sales. Only one houseOffaly Local Authorities Annual Report 20129