Dundee councillor Kevin Keenan says he is set to vote against a report recommending the council buys a private flat to assist in the sale of an otherwise council-owned tenement block in Buttars Place.
Mr Keenan said he sees no reason the matter has been placed on the agenda of urgent business due to come before the council’s recess sub-committee on Monday.
Urging the council to provide a full business case for councillors to see before they vote on the issue, the Strathmartine councillor said he can’t see why the sale price for the five flats would be affected by the sixth being privately owned.
He also pointed out the council had already agreed to spend £186,000 on refurbishing the block at last November’s committee.
Mr Keenan said: ”There are currently five vacant flats owned by council and one privately owned and rented out by a landlord.
”We are now presented with a paper which looks towards buying back the flat from the landlord in order to promote the sale of the flats on the open market.
”I have requested council to provide a full business case as I cannot see how having an owner/occupier or a private tenant in place would affect the price they would expect to receive for the five remaining flats.
”I would not like to see this type of proposal being played back on council, where a landlord owns five properties and expects the council to remove their tenant, therefore allowing the landlord to have a better market value.
”I am inclined not to support this report until a full business case is presented and I also very much doubt, knowing the number of properties available for sale across the city, that this needs to be dealt with at a recess sub as a matter of urgency.
”This addition may well call into question the original business case which was produced by council. Yet another reason why the full council should be involved in making this decision.”