The new Council offices are open now and it is our opinion that there has been a colossal and completely unnecessary spend of tax payers money.
The new offices are being leased at an annual rent of almost £3m for a total of 10 years. At the end of the lease the Council will be given the option of buying the building at the current market value. In addition to that the building will have to be kitted out at a cost of £13m.
The Labour Council tell us that the cost of maintaining the current buildings would be greater and therefore the expense can be justified. On the surface the mathematics work - but the maintainance cost of the exisitng building would be much less if they hadn't been neglected year after year. The same arguement was used with the Herringthorpe Leisure Centre. Years of neglect resulted in the demolition and re build of a brand new structure.
What this Labour Council can't seem to get through its collective head is decisions like this are completely avoidable and cost you the local taxpayer millions at the expense of vital services.
Although this decision has been made, the voters will not forget. It is time Councillors with business experience are elected to provide a robust opposition to these decisions.