Plans to purchase a new council office in Scarborough can proceed despite objections after a special scrutiny committee voted down a motion to halt the scheme.
Plans to purchase a new council office in a North Yorkshire town can proceed despite objections, a special scrutiny committee has ruled.
North Yorkshire Council’s ‘asset rationalisation’ plan, which includes the purchase of Resolution House by the A64 in Scarborough for an undisclosed sum, and a move of staff from Scarborough Town Hall and Ryedale House, has been given the green light by councillors.
The authority has said that new customer access points will be created in town centre sites in Scarborough and Malton.
A group of coastal and independent councillors called for a “full independent cost assessment” and for a full meeting of the authority to make a decision on the scheme, which was announced by the council earlier this month.
However, at a specially convened meeting of NYC’s overview and scrutiny committee on Thursday, March 26, members voted 9-5 against the motion.
Cllr Rich Maw, proposer of the motion, said:
“This call-in seeks to safeguard financial prudence because the assurances provided so far aren’t enough. There is insufficient documentation to support a purchase of this significance, and if other members believe there is, that is on their conscience.”
The scheme has been presented as a way to avoid up to £19m of costs to upgrade “appalling working conditions” at the ageing coastal town hall site, and could see Malton’s Ryedale House office sold to make way for housing.
At the meeting, council officers were at pains to emphasise that the Scarborough town hall ‘campus’ consists of four buildings and that it was not seeking to demolish the Grade-II Listed historic town hall property.
Scarborough’s town mayor, Cllr Thomas Murray, asked for assurances that “the town hall remains at the centre of civic life and will be maintained for civic use”, highlighting the absence of “explicit safeguards”.
However, the council said it could not give any “cast-iron guarantees”.
The council said its position was that it
“does not oppose the listed Town Hall building being retained for community or civic use, provided this does not place substantial costs on this council.
“While no cast-iron guarantee can be given regarding the long-term future use of the building, there is no short-term requirement for the town council to vacate the premises.”
A provisional sum of up to £750,000 has been approved to support the establishment of new front-facing customer service points within Scarborough and Malton town centres, and to fund costs associated with the advancement of redevelopment proposals for vacated sites.
Cllr Michelle Donohue-Moncrieff asked if the council had commissioned an independent survey on the condition of Resolution House and added:
“Surely we should have some independent verification that it is a bargain.”
NYC corporate director Gary Fielding said:
“It’s worth remembering that Resolution House has been refurbished to a very high spec by Anglo American, and we have had assessment support from Align Property. It’s in extremely good condition.”
Deputy leader of the council, Cllr Gareth Dadd, told the meeting:
“Let’s be clear, there’s a misconception that big, bad NYC is coming to knock down the historic Town Hall, and that could have been communicated better.
“In a civilised society, we cannot let our staff work in these conditions, and the time for action has come.
“We’ve stood shoulder to shoulder with the residents of Scarborough because it’s the right thing to do.
“I believe what we are buying is virtually risk-free and helps regenerate Scarborough. If we miss this opportunity, we’re missing the opportunity of a generation.”
According to a report prepared for the executive committee, the scheme would create “minimum ongoing savings in property running costs of £400,000 per annum and savings of more than £20 million in backlog maintenance liabilities across Ryedale House and Scarborough Town Hall”.
Mr Fielding said:
“The condition of Scarborough Town Hall is not acceptable and it is not fit for purpose. To do nothing is frankly not an option.
“Would members prefer to spend £19m to bring the town hall campus up to date for and if not, there has to be an alternative and that has to be presented pretty quickly.”
The overview and scrutiny committee also voted to endorse the decision of the executive with 11 members in favour and three against.
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