The strange tale of the District Valuer

[D'Artagnan 13,319]

http://www.heraldscotland.com/celtic-close-to-deal-over-disputed-land-1.851123

One can understand the ire of those in the east of Glasgow, being investigated by the EU with regard to a land deal which on the face of it, looks fairly straightforward.

But scraping below the surface of this deal perhaps offers an insight into why the negotiations referred to have been described by Mr Braiden as “often acrimonious”, and perhaps further as to why certain anomalies have caught the eye of EU investigators.

The District Valuer of course is not the Council’s own surveyor, but an executive agency of HM Revenue & Customs who provide a range of independent valuations and surveying services to public sector bodies.

On the 24th Novemeber, 2004, the District Valuer was tasked by Glasgow City Council to provide initial valuations for various Council owned sites ( though not all sites surveyed were those eventually sold to Celtic FC) including Westhorn Recreational Ground, which of course, as per The Glasgow Herald article, was subject of an eventual sale to Celtic FC.

The Disrict Valuer proceeded as instructed completing preliminary examinations and providing a preliminary report on 19th Janurary, 2005. The completed preliminary report however, took no cognisance of what is referred to as abnormal ground conditions which existed on the sites. This in itself is particularly odd as Glasgow City Council acknowledge abnormal conditions at various sites within this area.

“Outputs from high level desk studies for this area and the East End in general demonstrate that land is likely to be subject to significant abnormal development constraints that would require to be overcome during any development project. These include contamination from industrial activities, contamination from waste deposits and mining. As such the majority of land disposal transactions concluded by the Council in this area are subject to the consideration of abnormal costs”

The District Valuer was not instructed by the Council to provide any further valuation reports.

The negotiation of the sale of the various areas of land was carried out on behalf of the Council by one of its own Chartered Surveyors in accordance with the Council’s normal procedure, the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors’ guidance and the European Commission’s Communication on State aid elements in sales of land and buildings by public authorities (97/C 209/03).

The Council’s own chartered surveyor in conjunction with chartered surveyors appointed by Celitc FC negotiated the market value of the land being offered for sale.

Surprisingly, the preliminary, yet ostensibly incomplete District Valuer’s Report was then used as a starting point for negotiations on the sale of the land between the Council and Celtic FC

As they say in Penny Lane – Very strange.

[auchinairn true blue 58]

Not to clued up about valuations in fact clueless would be more apt, but tell me if I'm on the right track here, the district valuer makes an initial report highlighting potential problems that may require further investigation. Glasgow city council Surveyor and a Surveyor acting on behalf of Celtic get together and agree a valuation based on an incomplete report which may have when completed valued the land at a higher or even a lower price? so the question I want answered is did this land get sold at a knockdown rate and did Celtic use it as security against loans from the coo-p bank, or were they able to make a sizeable return on the money they paid for it.

[D'Artagnan 13,319]

Not to clued up about valuations in fact clueless would be more apt, but tell me if I'm on the right track here, the district valuer makes an initial report highlighting potential problems that may require further investigation. Glasgow city council Surveyor and a Surveyor acting on behalf of Celtic get together and agree a valuation based on an incomplete report which may have when completed valued the land at a higher or even a lower price? so the question I want answered is did this land get sold at a knockdown rate and did Celtic use it as security against loans from the coo-p bank, or were they able to make a sizeable return on the money they paid for it.

No bud it would appear the DV was asked to survey a number of areas of ground the Council were aware were subject to abnormals - but for some reason didnt tell the DV who then surveyed and valued the land as normal.

When the DV completed the report it obviously did not reflect the value of the land due to the abnormal conditions on site. The DV was not asked to carry our any further surveys - yet the incomplete report was used as the starting point for negotiations.

[ayesteady 78]

Well noted D'art it's thanks to the likes of yourself and others with you're diligent probing that I'm sure will bang these corrupt buggers to rights

[hammer time 653]

the more you dig the dirtier they get, keep on digging D'art

[bluenose1975 1,287]

Of course the details are vitally important in proving corruption but for me the most obvious detail was the day the sale of the land was completed for several hundred thousand, within a few hours, that very same piece of land had a loan for several MILLION secured against it????? But it's all ok, cause they bought it at market value. Now that IS proposterous LOL.....

[daviecooper01 826]

Hypothetically, an incomplete but government backed valuation could be used for mortgage valuation with a lower locally arranged survey value used for purchase value.

Not illegal in any way, hypothetically.

[D'Artagnan 13,319]

Hypothetically, an incomplete but government backed valuation could be used for mortgage valuation with a lower locally arranged survey value used for purchase value.

Not illegal in any way, hypothetically.

Thats an interesting "hypothetical" DC01. Very interesting.

[Malvern 11,329]

Hypothetically, an incomplete but government backed valuation could be used for mortgage valuation with a lower locally arranged survey value used for purchase value.

Not illegal in any way, hypothetically.

So the government backed surveyor gave a preliminary report and the council lead surveyour with scum surveyor had a diff view with industrial waste all over the place?

Not susicious at all, wonder why the scum wanted the land as it is so toxic?

Good article D'Art as usual.

[Helicopter Sundae 6,218]

^^^^^^^^

Toxic land for a toxic club = perfect match.