Civic Centre resolution passed amid backdrop of protest

Chairman Ray Georgeson (Lib Dem, Danefield) put forward a motion on Monday to clarify the council's stance on the options facing the property, and its own future accommodation.

Councillor Georgeson told the meeting the move was needed to explain why the council could not move back into the Grade II Listed building, which closed in 2010.

Owners Leeds City Council are also due to begin a consultation on shortlisted development options for the Civic over the next few months.

Give Otley Its Town Hall! (GOITH), which has long argued for the town council to be based in the Civic again, held a protest before the meeting at the Bridge Church.

Earlier campaign Chairman Tom Featherstone had accused the council of 'letting down Otley' in an open letter* which urged councillors to reject the resolution.

In the end the motion was passed unanimously, though slightly amended with a reference to residential conversion removed.

Cllr Georgeson (Lib Dem, Danefield) said: "Because some residents and campaigners continue to express the view that the council should return to the Civic, re-styled as a town hall, we are obliged to make clear the financial facts and constraints that mean this is not possible at the current time.

"We are bound into a ten-year lease on the accommodation at Orchard Gate which has no break clause. This runs until March, 2023.

"Any scenario in which the town council vacated these premises early to return to the Civic would cost the town over £30,000 a year for every year - in dead rent, service and associated costs plus an unknown sum for reparations to the building."

Responding to accusations from GOITH that the council had refused to engage with the campaign, he added: "If at any time in the year or so of running his campaign the Chairman had made any formal or even informal approach to discuss these matters I would have happily met and briefed him.

"Instead, he chooses to continue to accuse us of ‘letting Otley down’ without any consideration of the financial facts we have to deal with.

"Neither does his campaign adequately address the issue of ongoing running costs and a business plan for whatever his 'town hall' might involve."

The amended resolution notes that the council is 'not in a position to consider a move...between now and March, 2023'.

It continues: "Our desire remains for the former Civic Centre to be developed in a way which benefits our community, provided this does not compromise the Courthouse’s expansion plans, and encourage Leeds City Council to take account of this in their consultation."

Some councillors argued strongly against any residential - a conversion into flats is one of the shortlisted options being considered by Leeds - redevelopment.

Councillor Philip Bye (Lib Dem, Prince Henry's)) said that would be a "tragedy", while Councillor Peter Jackson (Lib Dem, Ashfield) added: "It should be kept within community use and as a council we should be pressing Leeds to assure us that's what it's going to happen."

Councillor Nigel Francis (Ind, Danefield) however, said: "I don't see it becoming anything else but expensive flats. I don't agree with that but I'd prefer it to be expensive flats and standing than to be a pile of rubble."