Agenda item

This report recommends changes to the garage licence agreement and the lettings policy for garages and residential car parks.

Councillor Homan stated that this report recommended changes to the existing garage licence agreement, and changes in the lettings policy for garages and secure residential car parks, to enable greater take up of empty garages, and generate increased revenue from the current portfolio. Council tenants and leaseholder would continue to be prioritised under the new licence as they were now, followed by private residents of the borough.

Councillor Carlebach enquired on the reason for increasing the charges for private borough residents. Councillor Homan replied that there would be no increase to residents currently renting a garage. The new charge applied to new lettings only and were below the market rate.

The Leader added that all the money would go into the Housing Revenue Account to maintain Council’s properties.

RESOLVED:

1.    To amend the garage licence to allow garages to also be used for storage. The existing garage licence agreement allows the storage of a car or a motorbike only.

2.    To increase charges for private borough residents from £23.08 to £35 per week and to allow lettings to non-borough customers on garages sites where demand from our own residents is low. The proposed weekly rental charge for customers who do not live in Hammersmith and Fulham is £50 per week. (see appendix 3 for revised charges).

3.    To agree the Procurement Strategy for garage refurbishment work, as set out in appendix 7, with contract performance reviewed each year and new contract awards to be approved by the Cabinet Member for Housing, subject to overall approval of the Council’s HRA Capital Programme by Cabinet

4.    To approve proposals to rent surplus parking spaces in secure underground car parks such as Walham Green Court and Woodmans Mews to customers who don’t live in the block. The is proposal to keep charges for those who live in the block the same at £3.07 per week but charge non block residents £23.08 per week.