§ Mr. PatnickTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to lay before Parliament the 1986–87 annual reports and statements of accounts of the residuary bodies; and if he will make a statement.
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§ Mr. ChopeThe 1986–87 annual reports and statements of accounts of the six metropolitan residuary bodies were laid before Parliament today. The accounts of the London residuary body are currently subject to the usual local government audit procedures and will be laid before Parliament as soon as the audit is complete.
These annual reports and accounts cover the residuary bodies' first full financial year. They point to the impressive progress made by the board members and staff in tackling the tasks inherited from the metropolitan county councils and in realising the benefits of abolition of an unnecessary tier of local government.
In the first year after abolition the metropolitan residuary bodies have reduced their full-time staff numbers from 1,224 at the beginning of the year to 1,017 at the end. These totals are continuing to fall as more of the residuary bodies' functions are discharged or transferred to successor bodies. The statements of accounts also show that substantial cash benefits have already been returned by the residuary bodies to district councils in their areas. In total, these amounted to some £70 million of which £24 million was capital receipts inherited from the county councils and generated from the disposal of surplus property.
1: SI 1981/1146: LB Southwark land (vested 1 August 1981) Plot Area Principal purpose of use If housing, approximate number of rented/owner occupied homes hectares acres 1.9 2.1 5.2 Housing 44 homes for owner occupation 64 for rent 10 1.17 2.80 Housing 76 homes for owner occupation 13 0.25 0.61 Industrial 11 1.78 4.4 Housing 44 homes for rent 12 15 94 for owner occupation 14 0.23 0.57 Housing 28 homes for sale 16 0.2 0.6 Housing 9 homes for rent 17 1.4 0.56 Housing 34 homes for rent 18 12 for sheltered housing 19 3.0 7.5 Retailing 20 32.7 80.8 Housing and mixed uses 297 homes for owner occupation 21 1.74 4.3 Housing 111 homes 22 0.85 2.09 Housing 51 homes for sale 23 3.2 7.9 Housing Not yet known 24 26 25 1.12 2.76 Housing 61 homes for sale 27 6.47 16.0 Housing 370 homes for sale 28 2.01 4.96 Housing Homes for rent 236W
2: SI 1983/514: GLC and Southwark land (vested 30 March 1983) Plot Area hectares acres Principal purpose of use If housing, approximate number of rented/owner occupied homes 1 54 133.5 Housing and industrial/ commercial 41 homes for rent 979 for sale 64 for shared ownership The task faced by each residuary body in identifying and disposing of the many surplus properties accumulated by the county councils has not been an easy one and the reports show that all residuary bodies have made substantial progress in this area. The £11.5 million capital receipts already generated indicate the residuary bodies commitment to ensuring that the value of these surplus assets is maximised and the benefits repatriated as quickly as possible to the ratepayers who paid for them.