PART OF Somerset County Council’s headquarters in Taunton could be sold off to provide an additional funding source for front-line services.

The council is currently carrying out a £9.9M refurbishment on the A Block of County Hall, which will bring staff from other locations back in-house and ensure the heating and electrical systems for both County Hall and Shire Hall are fit for purpose.

Once all the work is completed, a separate section – known as C Block – will become “surplus to needs” due to the improved layout of offices elsewhere in the complex.

The council has said selling off this area could deliver a “substantial benefit”.


READ MORE: Plans for £9.9million refurbishment of County Hall submitted


The issue was raised by Glastonbury resident Eva Bryczkowski at a full council meeting at Shire Hall on Wednesday (November 28).

She said: “Regarding capital spending and the refurbishment of part of County Call (which has been reported will cost £9.9M), as a council tax payer, I believe that this capital could be spent on more sorely needed things.

“Surely that’s not the only thing the council can spend it on, and I’m wondering whether the council can provide other examples of what the money could be spent on?”

Capital funding has to be spent on specific projects relating to infrastructure or maintenance, rather than the day-to-day funding of staff and services.

Council leader David Fothergill declined to provide specific examples for how the money could be alternatively spent, stating the repairs and refurbishment were necessary to future-proof the buildings.

He said: “It’s about ensuring that all the council’s asset are fit for purpose, bringing staff back into County Hall. There has been no investment in the listed buildings since the 1980s.”

The council subsequently confirmed it would be considering either renting out or selling off C Block once the refurbishment work in A Block was completed.

A spokesman said: “As an invest to save project, the A Block refurbishment will yield an immediate and ongoing payback for the council amounting to over £700,000 revenue savings annually.

“Over £6.4M, two thirds of the total cost, is taken up by the essential works including a replacement of the boiler and heating system, asbestos removal and electrical works which are needed to keep County Hall and the Crown Courts at Shire Hall functioning.

“The remaining £3.5M will achieve the immediate and ongoing revenue savings of over £700,000, generated by modernising the offices so staff can be moved in from several other buildings in the Taunton area, ending significant lease costs.

“Importantly, these works will also free up C Block for sale or redevelopment at substantial benefit to the council, as it will become surplus to needs.”