Anger at ‘rush for decision’ on historic civic move

Scarborough Borough Council’s Labour group has hit out over proposals which will see the authority move out of the Grade II listed building on St Nicholas Street, which it has occupied for over a century, amid concerns the authority is being forced to make a rushed decision.

The Yorkshire Post recently revealed that the council had unveiled proposals to relocate to a new site in order to free up the Town Hall for redevelopment as part of wider multi-million pound plans to regenerate the town centre and seafront.

It is considering a £3m offer from the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) which will be used to buy the new site, in exchange for an equity share in the redevelopment of the Futurist and Town Hall sites, which could be carried out sooner as a result.

However, the council has less than a week to decide whether to accept the offer from HCA due to restrictions which require the funds being committed within this financial year.

Deputy leader of the council’s Labour group, Councillor Colin Challen, said: “Even though the issue has previously been discussed we have now had a gun held to our heads to make a decision in under a week.

“There is the whole question of the redevelopment that would follow on from this agreement with the HCA, which we know very little about at this stage. We think it won’t be possible to support the option as it stands until more crucial information is provided. We are not against a move in principal but we are against being backed into a decision at this juncture.”

The council’s head of finance and asset management, Nick Edwards, said it was important to put the offer on the table and stressed the decision would have no impact on the fate of the Futurist.

“The HCA wants to invest £3m into our borough to contribute towards a regeneration project which is something we have wanted to look at. They’ve come forward with a proposal that can really spark something to happen.

“It doesn’t pre-empt any decision on the Futurist site itself, that’s for another day.”

It emerged last year that the council was the latest local authority in North Yorkshire looking to move to save money. It is estimated the maintenance of the council’s buildings will be in the region of £5.7m over the next 25 years.

Councillors were told in January 2010 that a relocation had been put on the back-burner, but the Yorkshire Post disclosed in August that a move was once again a serious possibility.

The council has stressed that a Customer First presence would remain in the town centre. It has also claimed that an independent study has stated the relocation would have “little quantitative material impact” on the centre’s economy. But traders have warned the loss of the town hall staff would “rip the heart out” of the town.

Scarborough Chamber of Trade chairman Chris Golder said: “There are 340 people based in the town hall and then there are the many people who visit. Consider the loss of more than 340 people who regularly shop, use cafes and so on, all year round – the effect on the town centre could be disastrous.”

The proposal will go before the council’s cabinet tomorrow and the full council on Friday.