Plans that could lead to the sale of £169m of county council land and buildings over the next three years have been agreed by councillors in Hertfordshire.

Hertfordshire County Council owns and manages a portfolio of property that includes 2,276 assets, with a combined estimated value in excess of £3bn.

Now, councillors have agreed a new strategic asset management plan (SAMP), which sets out how the council will use its land and property assets until 2029.

And that includes a target to raise £169m from the 'disposal' of land or buildings before the end of March 2030.

Among properties already on the market is the County Hall site in Hertford, which was formerly the council's headquarters.

And at the same cabinet meeting that agreed the SAMP, councillors added land at Highfield Farm, in Tyttenhanger, and the site of the former Bill Everett Centre, in Watford, to the list of properties available for disposal.

They also agreed that the council's secured tenancy portfolio – consisting of 35 tenanted properties – could be disposed of, subject to the approval of those tenants.

The strategic asset management plan was presented to the cabinet by the executive member for resources and performance, Cllr Chris Lucas (Liberal Democrat, Hitchin South), on Wednesday (April 22).

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He catalogued the number of property assets held by the county council and their value, as well as highlighting the "roughly £19m annual income" they generate, through lettings and for alternative uses such as film locations.

He said that a number of assets were "no longer fit for purpose" or were "surplus to requirements" – and had been "hanging around for a good lengthy time".

And he said he was "delighted" that the county council administration had "taken the bull by the horns" and was putting the assets to good use.

"And if that good use results in the capital receipt, then so be it," he said.

Acknowledging the £18.8m-a-year that the property portfolio generates for the county council, Cllr Lucas said the last thing they would want to do would be "to throw the baby out with the bath water".

And he said they would not wish to get rid of assets that had the potential to generate an income.

But he also referenced a £40m deficit facing the council, "in light of the Fair Funding settlement".

And he said: "We have to find ways of generating income as best as we can – and managing the assets is one of them."

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Meanwhile, the leader of the county council, Cllr Steve Jarvis (Liberal Democrat, Royston West and Rural), said the plan set out commendable processes and targets.

And he said: "I think it is clear that the council should hold assets for one of three reasons.

"Either because they enable us to deliver the services that we provide for people, or they provide some community benefit in some other way, or they generate income for the council.

"And if they don't do any of those, we should be looking very carefully at whether or not they are going to start doing one of those in the very near future.

"And we need to avoid a situation where we keep assets because we have had them for a long time and one day they may come in useful, but we're not quite sure when or how.

"And I think we need to move on from that, which I think has perhaps been the position in the past, to say, 'What do we actually need? How can we deploy these assets to provide the best benefit for people in Hertfordshire?'

"And that usually isn't keeping them for a rainy day, when it's not even clear what you would do with them if it did rain.

"And I think the plan set out commendable processes and targets to achieve that."

According to the strategic asset management plan (SAMP), the current capital receipts target for assets disposed of in 2025/26 is around £42 million.

A capital receipts target of £169 million is anticipated from disposals to March 2030.

According to the report, the plan is based around five strategic objectives, which include providing the right assets in the right places to meet need, as well as maximising income, capital receipts and cost efficiencies to support service delivery.

It aims to unlock land and assets to enable housing, regeneration, improved infrastructure and wider economic opportunity – as well as delivering decarbonisation, resilience and improved environmental performance.

And it aims to create modern, safe and attractive workplaces, that, it says, enhance the council's role as 'an employer of choice'.

According to data within the report, of the 2,276 assets, 10%(228) are recorded as being vacant, and 7% (157) are "assets held for disposal".

The report says 61% of assets "support HCC's statutory duties", 5% "support statutory powers" and 34% are "deployed for non-statutory functions".

They include 782 assets relating to schools and nurseries and 140 to school playing fields, as well as 290 that form part of the council's rural estate.

There are 81 assets relating to supported living. 43 to fire service housing, 22 to care/nursing homes, as well as 40 day centres, 46 libraries, 53 family centres and 16 services for young people.

In addition, according to the report, there are 423 other assets that include structures such as telecom masts, garages, portable buildings, bus stops, substations and street furniture, as well as verges, footpaths and footbridges.