Council’s £9m office plans are on agenda

Senior members of Harrogate Borough Council will meet to decide whether to move the £9m plans to build new offices on its Knapping Mount site forward and submit a planning application.

Critics claim building new offices is a waste of public money, but council bosses maintain the authority will reduce its running costs by operating from fewer sites.

Council leader, Coun Richard Cooper, has previously said: “Operating from new purpose-build energy-efficient offices brings a number of benefits for local people.

“If a final decision is taken next year, we will be able to make significant savings through reduced running costs meaning we can invest more into the services which really matter to the community such as parks and gardens, leisure, housing, community safety, business support and waste and recycling.”

The authority has been considering a range of proposals to reduce its offices as staff are currently split between five main sites at Crescent Gardens, Springfield House, Scottsdale House, Knapping Mount and Victoria Park House.

Earlier this year, councillors agreed to move forward with plans for a new purpose-built headquarters at Knapping Mount and sell other sites.

If members of the council’s cabinet agree with officer recommendations when they meet on Wednesday, a planning application will be submitted and a final decision on whether to build new headquarters will be made next summer.

However UKIP county councillor for the Harrogate division of Bilton & Nidd Gorge, David Simister, questioned whether spending £9m on new offices was appropriate at a time when budgets are squeezed.

He said: “Is that the right use of taxpayers’ money?”

He added that in future more and more council employees may work from home rather than offices.

A report to be considered by councillors on Wednesday says there were 116 responses to public talks held on the issue earlier in year which showed support for the proposed Knapping Mount scheme – however 36 per cent of responses were from council employees.

According to the figures, 83 per cent of respondents were in favour. But if responses from residents were considered in isolation then the figure was 56 per cent in favour.

Respondents raised concerns about parking issues and security on site and officers have put together a plan which details where parking spaces would be provided.

The Liberal Democrat Group’s deputy leader, Coun Helen Flynn, has said many people are unhappy with the plans and yesterday said: “We have always favoured improving where we are at Crescent Gardens and actually retaining only one other site: Springfield House, which we are sure is a practical alternative.”

Council bosses have said many of the current offices are in need of investment and operating from fewer sites will reduce running costs. Last year a report prepared for councillors said the cost of improvements in existing buildings is estimated to be £4.8m against £7.9m to £8.9m for a development of office accommodation on the Knapping Mount site.