12:44pm Monday 31st March 2008
By Helen Korn
A £15,000 security fence could be erected around a vandal-hit garage and caravan storage site - but may cost tenants more rent in return.
It is thought a three-metre high palisade fence would help increase levels of security at the The Old Destructors Yard,Burnley Road, Colne.
But residents were told the fence could be part-funded by raising rents and by the sale of a property.
The Colne and District Committee says the executive may consider the increases on the current garage rentals of £84 per year and £122 per year for caravan storage.
A council report says: "Rentals for private secure caravan storage compounds range from £150 to £350per annum and therefore any increases which the executive may consider will be justified by the increase in security levels."
At an ealier meeting of the committee, members had agreed to put up security fencing up to reduce vandalism and theft.
The proposals were generally well received except one tenant who raised an issue of disruption to his caravan repair business from the council owned unit on the site, councillors said.
However, council bosses believe the proposal will not have a detrimental effect on the business.
An application for capital funding for the scheme was made in late 2007 but may now have been removed from a scheme list due to a pressured council budget.
Members have previously supported the idea of increasing rents to market levels for secure compounds to off-set capital expenditure required to implement the scheme and it is proposed now to refer the matter to the executive for consideration.
Tenants who do not wish to remain after any increase can serve notice to quit and relocate.
Committee members were told that whilst the potential increase in rents would provide higher levels of annual income, a shortfall may exist to be able to complete the fencing works and that it may take a number of years to recover the investment required.
The report will be discussed at the committee meeting on April 3.
A report to the council says: "Increased security will make the site more viable commercially."
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