A report was submitted to the Environment Committee on the 16 September 2014 by the Head of Street Scene which related to an alley way at Tower Hill and a verge along Vaughan Williams Way. The former is a private alley way and the latter is an area of soft landscaping which was transferred to the Council with a commuted sum by the original developers.

1.2       The Environment Committee resolved to:-

·          Invite members to consider taking on the maintenance at Vaughan             Williams Way and the alley way at Tower Hill, with both being the     subject of budget bids for 2015/16 onwards.

·          Agree that all future requests to adopt, or purchase, private land are            referred to the Assets & Enterprise Committee for discussion.

1.3      The Chair also requested that an investigation be undertaken by the Asset and Enterprise Committee on the pockets of land within the Borough that have no acknowledged ownership.

1.4      It is recommended that the Environment Committee is advised that any proposal or request to consider the acquisition of land not in the Councils should be consistent with the Asset Acquisition Policy. Also, that unless the land provides either a revenue stream or is regarded as a strategic acquisition the purchase/adoption of the subject land is unlikely to be supported.

A motion was MOVED by Cllr Quirk and SECONDED by Cllr Sapwell to received the recommendations as set out in the reports subject to an alteration by the mover after a full decision.

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY to:

2.1              That the Environment Committee is advised that any requests        for the Asset & Enterprise Committee to consider        acquisition or adoption of land should follow the process as                    set out in the Asset Acquisition Policy.

2.2              Any costs relating to the maintenance or the protection of the         verge at Vaughan William Way should be consider as met by a             budget bid or Essex County Council are approach with the potential of funding from C.I.F (Community Initiative Fund) .