Shiny New Council Offices Still Required (According To The Tories)

May

20

4 comments

Yes, Rochford District Council’s Conservative majority, have gleefully voted to “appoint a development partner” to continue with their asset strategy programme.

Despite calls by minority groups to ‘pause and reflect’ on the pre coronavirus plans, Conservative Councillors remained convinced that the asset strategy programme was destined to be continued and that this was “an essential decision”

Flying in the face of large and knowledgable corporates, Conservative Councillors have voted for shiny new Council offices and a new Council chamber. Not taking any notice of the changing world outside of their ‘bubble’, it would appear they’ve missed the headlines such as this one, with Global bank, ‘Barclays’ announcing that big offices ‘may be a thing of the past’ or this one from The Telegraph which forecasts ‘… a revolution in working habits, commercial property landlords are braced for a slump in demand’. If you remain unconvinced, like the Conservatives, then this article from the FT explains how experienced Chief Executives have seen this as an opportunity to save costs (not build new offices!)

Viewers of the live YouTube stream could only wait in anticipation as the debate was forced into a secret meeting behind closed doors.

Who wouldn’t want the public to hear the reasoned arguments or alternatives given by the minority groups?

About the author, Editor

  • This is not what the Tories said during the last election! So many different groups use the Mill Hall. I go to a yoga group upstairs and at the same time a choir uses the downstairs room.

  • How does this equate to the recent increase in Council Tax verses this further loss of Civic Amenity?. RDC hold a very large “Reserve Fund” that is not used for current shortcomings – can a Councillor publish just how much is currently held back in ‘reserve’ please…..?

  • As this distressing plan will have a knock-on effect for every Rochford citizen, can someone explain to me why the debate was forced into a secret meeting behind closed doors? What did they have to hide?

    And, really, do we need more housing in the Rochford district? The current new huge housing estates are still being built so why build more? And with all the new residents who will be moving into the area, won’t they need some sort of community hub?

    Short-sighted, uncaring and baffling decisions.

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