Westminster City Council – Strategic Projects
Compulsory Purchase Manager
Background information for job advert
Westminster has a large and exciting regeneration programme ranging fromredevelopment of relatively small individual sites to major schemes involving demolition and erection of new build housing to increase the quantity and/or quality of residential accommodation on its housing estates. Regeneration is one of the Council’s top priorities and it brings an energetic and innovative approach to ensure its success.
Site assembly is a vital component to enable implementation of these projects and this will often involve the need to acquire freehold and leasehold interests preferably by agreement but, where necessary, through the use of compulsory purchase as a last resort.
Current examples of redevelopment schemes where work has started on site and which involved acquisition of properties by agreement or compulsory purchase are Dudley House (where 5 freehold properties and 23 leasehold flats were acquired) and Tollgate Gardens Estate (where 30 leasehold flats were acquired).
Key day to day duties and responsibilities attachedto this post include
- Take the lead to ensure properties are acquired in accordance with formal Council decisions and in compliance with appropriate legislation.
- Monitor progress of negotiations to acquire properties and, where terms agreed, issue instructions to complete purchases.
- Authorise reimbursement of reasonable costs as part of purchase transactions.
- Prepare and revise CPO programmes for each project.
- Assist with the appointment and management of CPO advisors.
- Manage and support the land referencing process and specialist consultants to ensure timely and high quality service delivery.
- Attend meetings and co-ordinate with various parties within the Council and specialist consultants to ensure CPO’s are progressing to target.
- Assist with the preparation of the Statement of Reasons for making CPO’s.
- Assist with and issue instructions for the implementation of CPO’s following confirmation by the Secretary of State.
- Obtain approval and arrange for payment of invoices to individuals and consultants across the range of activitiesrelated to the purchase of properties by agreement or compulsorily.
- Support Development Managers in planning and delivering new schemes and advise on the potential need and likelihood of success of CPO’s.
To carry out these duties and responsibilities you will need
- Extensive knowledge of the CPO procedure and process from inception to completion.
- Meticulous attention to detail.
- The ability to oversee negotiations with freeholders and leaseholders, either directly or through consultants, to acquire properties by agreement.
- To develop and maintain effective communication with Council officers and retained external CPO advisors.
- To develop and maintain effective IT systems to manage and support CPO programming, land referencing and financial budgets for acquisitions.