Civic Centre decision delayed

Adam Hewitt • Last updated 28 Nov 2008 11:03 0 Comments

COUNCIL staff will be stuck in the asbestos-riddled Civic Centre for some time yet.

Councillors voted last night to re-open the debate about their new headquarters, because many deem the current £50-80m plan for a purpose-built office block in Hosier Street too expensive and inflexible.

But when Liberal Democrats tried to put refurbishing the current Civic Centre back on the table, they were voted down on all sides.

Tory leader Andrew Cumpsty said: "We have a real obligation to the people who work here, we take that extremely seriously. Putting money into the refurbishment of this building would be throwing good money after bad. This is an abomination of a building."

Council leader Jo Lovelock agreed, calling refurbishment far too expensive and "a complete nonsense" due to inherent design flaws and massive energy inefficiency.

But she added: "None of us came into civic life as councillors to build a new office block - we're all very mindful that building a new office headquarters for the council is always going to be something that will be under intense public scrutiny, and rightly so."

Instead councillors backed a ‘twin-track' approach of trying to modify the Hosier Street scheme to make it cheaper and more flexible, while also calling on private developers to come up with a better plan. Ideas already swilling around include moving into an extended Yell building once staff there move to new premises, or moving into part of the Chatham Place development west of the town centre.

Some councillors suggested moving some staff out of the town centre to save money and reduce congestion, but others said town centre premises helps staff work face-to-face, and keeps lots of money in the economy. Some councillors suggested renting office space at GreenPark or somewhere similar could be a cheap and obvious solution.

Independent Cllr Tony Jones said the Hosier Street option - or any large purpose-built office - was an "unnecessary indulgence", and even joked that the Woolworths building on Broad Street might soon be empty.

Tory finance chief David Stevens said borrowing money over 40 to 60 years to pay for the move could leave the coffers empty for other redevelopment, and that councillors should factor in expensive refurbishments every 15 to 20 years.

Tory Cllr Mark Ralph added: "When many residents are likely to lose their jobs and some their homes, and we've got people cutting back on food to pay their council tax, I would find it very hard to justify an icon of council profligacy."

Former Tory leader Fred Pugh, a champion of the Hosier Street scheme until recently, said he had changed his mind, and Labour Cllr Richard Stainthorp said the 17-year gestation period for the Oracle - which weathered two recessions - showed that big plans should not necessarily be thrown out when the economy starts to fail.

A final decision should be made next year.

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This article appeared in Reading Chronicle 28 Nov 08

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