ABSTRACT
This chapter describes non-operational property in use. Rather than employ loaded terms such as 'commercial' or 'investment', it adopts the label 'tenanted non-residential property' - tenanted non-residential property (TNRP). It deals with the perceived objectives for which local authorities hold TNRP and the functional, financial and legal setting. Local authorities should at least begin with a set of objectives, ranked in some sort of order of priority. Various ways of achieving those objectives should be considered and the most effective projects chosen and pursued. Lack of clear, prioritised objectives for property, allowing 'inadequate strategy', poor service and financial returns were particularly common and allowed the 'corporate aspects of property portfolio management' to be ignored. Capital and revenue budgets, total numbers of properties and TNRP rent rolls varied widely between councils, even on the same tier. Generally counties had the smallest rent rolls but largest service budgets implying TNRP was less significant to them - confirming the Audit Commission's findings.
