- Mobile site
- E-Newsletters
-
- News feed
- Find us on Twitter
@yorkpress
Follow us on Twitter
- Find us on Facebook
The Press, York
Like us on Facebook
£600,000 upgrade bid for council office (From York Press)
Get in touch: send your photos, videos, news & views by texting YORK to 80360 or send an email»
£600,000 upgrade bid for Hazel Court council office
10:10am Tuesday 2nd October 2012 in News
By Mark Stead, Political Reporter
MORE than £600,000 could be spent refurbishing a council building in York.
City leaders will next week be asked to approve plans to make adaptations to City of York Council’s Hazel Court – one of only two offices the authority will have once hundreds of staff move to the new £43.8 million headquarters at West Offices, in Station Rise, next year.
The council will move out of four of its current sites, and a report to its cabinet has listed work which will need doing at Hazel Court, in James Street, to increase office space and allow flexible working.
If approved, the scheme will cost £618,000, funded by the £235,000-a-year savings made by leaving Guildhall, St Anthony’s House and the council’s Acomb Road offices.
The switch from these three sites means space is needed elsewhere for about 200 staff, 47 councillors and other facilities. The moves are set to be completed by the end of next March.
Planned improvements at Hazel Court include removing partitions, moving storage space, improving cafe facilities, showers and toilets and providing internet and phone access so it can act as a “disaster recovery site” for the council and house customer services staff in the event of an emergency.
Coun Julie Gunnell, cabinet member for corporate services, said: “West Offices will support much more efficient and smarter ways of working and we want to replicate this at our second building at Hazel Court for both staff and customers.
“We also need to ensure our capacity to deal with any future emergencies is fully supported at this second site.”
At next week’s meeting, the cabinet is also expected to agree to notify the Department for Transport that the council wants to form a joint Local Transport Body with West Yorkshire councils, which will decide how funding for major transport schemes is spent.
It is proposing that any funding York secures through this body would go towards projects with a mutual benefit to the city and West Yorkshire, and possibly beyond, or to York and its hinterland. This could include improvements to the outer ring road, the Harrogate rail line and access to Leeds Bradford Airport.
Cabinet members will also be asked to instruct officers to produce a Local Plan, a blueprint for the city’s future development, which is earmarked to be in place by 2015. The council abandoned its Local Development Framework core strategy earlier this year, following criticism by a Government inspector.
Comments(36)
Geoffers
says...
11:26am Tue 2 Oct 12
If approved, the scheme will cost £618,000, funded by the £235,000-a-year savings made by leaving Guildhall, St Anthony’s House and the council’s Acomb Road offices.
Won't these savings of £235,000 have already used in the original case to build new Headquarters?
If not, why not?
oi oi savaloy
says...
11:53am Tue 2 Oct 12
Pete the Brickie
says...
12:44pm Tue 2 Oct 12
If approved, the scheme will cost £618,000, funded by the £235,000-a-year savings made by leaving Guildhall, St Anthony’s House and the council’s Acomb Road offices.
Unfortunately the £618,000 is a real cost whilst the savings of £235,000 a year is a projected figure. How about the council manage with their new palace and the existing building then do the improvements gradually with the actual savings?
Scarlet Pimpernel
says...
2:49pm Tue 2 Oct 12
How many extra workstations are being achieved by these alterations ? I have heard that it is less than a dozen !
West Offices has more space than the Council needs - so why is extra space required at Hazel Court ?
This is another vanity project, this time by marxist historian, Kersten England.
At a time when cuts are being made, we firstly have an independant report recommending 27% -35% increases in councillors remuneration, then this ridiculous waste of money on non-urgent office alterations. IT'S A DISGRACE - KERSTEN ENGLAND should be SACKED !
Kevin Turvey
says...
3:09pm Tue 2 Oct 12
‘by marxist historian, Kersten England.’
‘IT'S A DISGRACE - KERSTEN ENGLAND should be SACKED !’
As she is obviously an enemy of the people. Perhaps the gulags in Siberia are more relevant?
Haywire
says...
3:24pm Tue 2 Oct 12
Haywire
says...
3:26pm Tue 2 Oct 12
Scarlet Pimpernel
says...
3:36pm Tue 2 Oct 12
Are the staff who work in these offices in favour of this needless, wasteful expenditure ? Rumour has it that they are not, and that they equally dislike the dictatorial, scottish feminist who is throwing her weight around. She isn't even a York resident !
Haywire
says...
3:40pm Tue 2 Oct 12
meme
says...
4:05pm Tue 2 Oct 12
I find this amazing. We may or may not as a council save money by the new move but here we are spending the possible savings before they are made.. This is typical political bulls..t!
How can we be saving yet spending it before its saved?? I thought the savings were supposed to pay for the move not be weed up the wall
Plus how can this ammount of money be spent on a relatively new property?
Plus and this caps the lot...Why are they keeping it anyway? The new offices are too big. There is already talk of trying to sublet areas. What are they doing not moving all staff under one roof having already gone above the original budget of £43 million on the new HQ
The mind frankly boggles at the waste and incompetence of this administration
Fiery enough for you??
Stressed Out
says...
4:21pm Tue 2 Oct 12
meme
says...
4:30pm Tue 2 Oct 12
I am informed there is spare space and if there is not why on earth did CoYC NOT get a building big enough when spending all this money
Plus they have given away Hungate site to ensure Hiscox come here..Actually I dont disagree with that but it does make one wonder about statements made by Councillors such as..Hungate will make a profit?
You cannot believe any statement made by anyone in CoYC as i have learnt over the years
Scarlet Pimpernel
says...
5:26pm Tue 2 Oct 12
Also what about Hungate, is it true, as meme suggests, that they are selling the land at less than market value for Hiscox's new offices ?
It's time that they came clean about these matters, and told the truth for a change.
Haywire
says...
5:39pm Tue 2 Oct 12
Scarlet Pimpernel
says...
5:52pm Tue 2 Oct 12
Haywire wrote:What on earth are you going on about ?
Not bad at all Meme. I was a touch surprised by your lack of comment on this burning topic so far. Pity about the miss-spelling, and I was disappointed with the relatively small number of exclamation marks (well below your usual standards), but at least you didn't resort to shouting, like that damned elusive chap/chapesse who splits his/her time between London and Paris (does he/she qualify as a York resident I wonder?).
This is typical of the stooges who try and stick up for Alexander and the Council - they avoid the issue by talking nonsense.
At lease meme lives in York, unlike Kersten England ? !!!
Haywire
says...
6:01pm Tue 2 Oct 12
I have been called many things in my life, but I think that stooge is a first.
I have only two words to say to you: Baroness Orczy!
Cllr.John Galvin
says...
8:26pm Tue 2 Oct 12
Alice.H
says...
9:00pm Tue 2 Oct 12
Buzz Light-year
says...
9:39pm Tue 2 Oct 12
Haywire
says...
11:14pm Tue 2 Oct 12
With your interest in West Offices, you will no doubt be pleased to hear that Hugh Murray is giving a talk on York's two railway (not train) stations tomorrow night, 19.30, at New Earswick Folk Hall, to the City of York and District Family History Society. All welcome!
Buzz: I cannot agree with you more!
Scarlet Pimpernel
says...
12:09am Wed 3 Oct 12
Haywire wrote:Baroness Emmuska Orczy, actually.
Well, S.P., I'm obviously wasting my sweetness on the desert air! I have been called many things in my life, but I think that stooge is a first. I have only two words to say to you: Baroness Orczy!
Tell me, who is writing your script, or pulling your strings ? Is it Alexander, England, or one of their cronies ?
Scarlet Pimpernel
says...
12:15am Wed 3 Oct 12
Cllr.John Galvin wrote:Why is it unfair ? It's apparently her idea, and isn't she pushing for it.
I think it is unfair to have a go at Kerstan England. The decision re Hazel Court will be the Labour Cabinet Member, As to West Offices my understanding is that space has been let to a third party. West Offices in my humble opinion are going to be a disaster for staff but let us wait and see.
I'm trying to figure out how it forms part of her 'marxist' agenda ?
Why let space to a third party, when you haven't enough to house your own staff ? What sort of ****-eyed logic is that ?
Isn't it time that England was told to pack her bags and skidaddle back to Scotland ?
Scarlet Pimpernel
says...
12:21am Wed 3 Oct 12
Buzz Light-year wrote:Mock if you must, but, the sources are entirely reliable, and the council is in a complete mess. The levels of mismanagement and mis-use of public money is truly shameful !
Rumour has it, ask anyone, I am informed, the last thing that I heard, and I'm sure it was reported - Purple Monkey Dishwasher.
There will be more exposés which will rock the council.
allijew
says...
12:22am Wed 3 Oct 12
Scarlet Pimpernel
says...
12:39am Wed 3 Oct 12
allijew wrote:They might as well give it away, as apparently, they are almost giving the land at Hungate away for offices for a company (Hiscox) who only paid £1m tax on their last half-yearly profits of £125.8m. They have the commercial nous of a someone selling pound notes for 50p !!!
How will they save money with the Guildhall?...has it been sold?
York1900
says...
1:14am Wed 3 Oct 12
It is proposing that any funding York secures through this body would go towards projects with a mutual benefit to the city and West Yorkshire, and possibly beyond, or to York and its hinterland. This could include improvements to the outer ring road, the Harrogate rail line and access to Leeds Bradford Airport.
Cabinet members will also be asked to instruct officers to produce a Local Plan, a blueprint for the city’s future development, which is earmarked to be in place by 2015. The council abandoned its Local Development Framework core strategy earlier this year, following criticism by a Government inspector.
Here we go giving away control for Local Transport so we wind up playing second fiddle to West Yorkshire
Why do we have a City Council if they have to rely on North Yorkshire of some services and giving other services to West Yorkshire
To my mind it just shows that York City Council can be done away with totally and save us all money
Scarlet Pimpernel
says...
1:34am Wed 3 Oct 12
Buzz Light-year wrote:Read Cllr Galvin's post - he confirms that space at West offices has been let to a third party.
Rumour has it, ask anyone, I am informed, the last thing that I heard, and I'm sure it was reported - Purple Monkey Dishwasher.
How much more reliable do you want, than to hear it from a councillor ?
meme
says...
8:58am Wed 3 Oct 12
who is this?
Haywire
says...
10:05am Wed 3 Oct 12
Meme: it's that damned elusive Pimpernel! Keep up at the back!
Scarlet Pimpernel
says...
11:34am Wed 3 Oct 12
Haywire wrote:Sir Percy Blakeney and his league (secret society) will rescue York from the reign of terror being imposed by England & Alexander.
There's a terrible amount of whataboutery going on here. Meme: it's that damned elusive Pimpernel! Keep up at the back!
meme
says...
11:43am Wed 3 Oct 12
Enough !!!! for you
To be fair to Pimpernell and it does seem a bit odd that a Marxist sympathiser is in charge of the Council. I am not political but if i am right Marxism does not support free enterprise etc so how can our esteemed leader be trusted to steer us back to financial stability and be encouraging job creation in the private sector?
Scarlet Pimpernel
says...
2:28pm Wed 3 Oct 12
meme wrote:When Comrade England tweets '#growthnjobs', she means growing the public-sector - more council jobs = more council office space required !!!!!
Sorry had a mad moment!!!! Enough !!!! for you To be fair to Pimpernell and it does seem a bit odd that a Marxist sympathiser is in charge of the Council. I am not political but if i am right Marxism does not support free enterprise etc so how can our esteemed leader be trusted to steer us back to financial stability and be encouraging job creation in the private sector?
York's own Kremlin at West Offices was built bigger than required for the self same reason - more space for more non-jobs !
PinzaC55
says...
5:43pm Thu 4 Oct 12
Steve,
says...
7:35pm Thu 4 Oct 12
How does 4 locations' savings translate into 'still not enough to refurb our new 1 place'? clearly someone is profiting here.
Scarlet Pimpernel
says...
9:48pm Thu 4 Oct 12
PinzaC55 wrote:It's not their money they are spending, so why should they care ? When it comes to controlling costs, they haven't got a clue - another case for A&E - putting York into economical intensive care, then off they will go to wreak havoc somewhere else ? !!!
If you want to get a measure of COYC's attitude to it's empire visit the new offices in Station Rise. The contractors have been working on a 30 yard piece of road for WEEKS. Before it was plain tarmac and ordinary pavements - nothing special , nor did it need to be.Now....how can I describe it? It has been planed, entirely new pavements laid and the road surfaced with a cream coloured top, and ugly modern "cobbles" between it and the Cedar Court Hotel. It's almost as though they had a budget to spend and this was the only way to do it! No suggestion at all that they have to save money.
Bad magic says...
11:09am Tue 2 Oct 12