This begs the question: if £4 million was the cost for moving a few staff into 2 floors of a building – what is the REAL cost of building a totally new HQ?
“The council was proposing to move its staff from the civic centre, which has recently been vacated, and on to the top two floors of the Barnstaple Library building, one of which houses the record office.
But it today announced it is instead looking into plans to convert the civic centre annex into a modern open plan office.
This would cost around £3 million – £1 million less than the estimated £4 million it would have cost to redevelop the library building. …
… Councillor John Clatworthy, the county council’s cabinet member with responsibility for council property, said: “It would be wrong to rush head-long into a project at the library when we can spend £1 million less moving to alternative accommodation which is also suitable. It’s prudent that we looked at the options, and I’m pleased that a better solution has been found.
East Devon Watch 