Property Services is responsible for providing comprehensive professional advice and guidance to the council, covering all land and property related matters incorporating operational asset management and strategic property advice.

The primary aim is to maximise the effective use of the Council’s physical property assets to facilitate the provision of client focused services and to promote and mange a wide range of regeneration and development initiatives across the Borough.

The Role of Property Services

• Day to day management of the Council’s Investment Property Portfolio.  These are non-operational interests (over 700 in total) which include retail, commercial and industrial properties, together with a 2000 acre agricultural estate.
• Resolution of user disputes between tenants which entails ensuring compliance with lease terms.
• Resolving repair issues and instructing the maintenance departments to undertake works as prescribed within leases.
• Dealing with the assignment of leases between parties.
• Approving licences to undertake works of improvement.
• Undertaking lease renewals in appropriate cases once a tenancy has expired.
• Undertaking rent reviews to ensure that market rents are achieved at all times to reflect the passing rents in any particular property sector e.g. retail, industrial and office.
• Undertaking the marketing and letting of all void land and premises.
• Undertaking land and property disposals to ensure capital receipts are maximised.
• Negotiating, enforcing and varying restrictive covenants where the Council has retained the benefit of covenants to protect and support the value of its wider property interests.
• The granting of easements and rights of way, (ensuring that underground or over land services or rights of passage do not prejudice the Council's current or future proposals or unnecessarily damage the environment).
• Undertaking strategic acquisitions to facilitate the broader objectives of the Council.
• Acquisition of land and property under its compulsory purchase powers to ensure that land and properties are fully utilised.
• Undertaking a rolling programme of asset valuations of the Council's property portfolio currently valued in excess of £917m.
• Managing the asbestos survey programme to identify areas for remedial action.
• Management of the Council's 2000 acre agricultural estate involving 20 working farms.
• Providing agricultural viability appraisals on planning applications for new agricultural developments.
• Undertaking an Accommodation Review in consultation with occupiers.
• Providing general property advice to all Council Service areas on either specific property issues or to develop and co-ordinate appropriate policy.

Land Agency Services

Generally, The Borough council require agricultural advice for the following service areas:

• To manage the Borough Councils Smallholdings estate comprising 18 holdings being a mix of dairy and livestock farms totalling 2000 acres. These holdings are mainly located within a ring fence at Elcombe near Wroughton. There is also a mixed holding at Blunsdon and two allotment sites at Wroughton and Wanborough. The allotments are managed by the local parish councils and rents of each allotment site are reviewed every three years by the Borough Council. There are also two estate cottages let under the provisions of the Housing Acts.
• To let at market rents and manage various agricultural land holdings owned by the Borough Council each year prior to development on short-term licences or farm business tenancies.
• To provide agricultural management advice to Swindon Services for agricultural land on four country parks at Barbury Castle, Stanton and Coate Water and Lydiard Country Park. These areas are let on farm business tenancies.
• To advise the Planning Department on agricultural planning matters including advice on the need for new farm dwellings and farm buildings on privately owned land.
• Provide advice relating to Compulsory Purchase Schemes where agricultural land and buildings are affected.