Nottinghamshire Reform slam ‘reckless’ Conservative proposals to flog iconic council house

The issue was raised during the full council meeting at the West Bridgford chamber on February 26, where Reform UK laid out its first budget since getting into power at the local elections in May last year.

The group made news in January when it announced its plans for a 3.99 per cent council tax rise in its budget – the lowest hike in a decade – lower than the maximum of 4.99 per cent and lower than the previous Conservatives’ at 4.84 per cent.

This tax increase was formally put through meeting, along with Reform’s £44m money-saving plan over three years, including £21.3m savings in adult social care, £17.52m in children’s and families, £2.75m in SEND transport and £1m in its highways contract.

Councillors also heard the Conservatives’ proposed alternative budget, which included a lower 2.99 per cent council tax rise, an additional £25m investment into adult social care, and extra £90m for roads.

It also included the ‘disposal’ of the West Bridgford County Hall site, which has been the authority’s home since being built in the 1940s.

Nottinghamshire Conservatives have been calling for the sale of the site over the past few years due to, choosing to vacate County Hall and move into its purpose-built £19m Oak House building at Hucknall March 2025.

This decision was reversed by Reform and democratic functions are now held across both locations.

Speaking on the alternative budget, Newstead councillor Stuart Bestwick (Con), shadow cabinet member for finance, said: “County Hall is an expensive, ageing estate.

"It carries significant running, compliance and maintenance costs.

“We’d vacate County Hall as originally planned within four to six month.

"This, including the car park, could generate around £20m in capital receipts as part of a wider redevelopment opportunity.

“But we do not simply sell and walk away, we market the site for commercial or hospitality-led development and seek to retain an equity stake or income participation agreement in the redevelopment.”

But Coun James Walker-Gurley (Ref), cabinet member for economic development and asset management, responded: “Anyone that’s ever moved house, let alone a regional headquarters, knows it isn’t just ambitious but liable to fail.

“It risks service disruption, data insecurity and chaos for our staff, not to mention that vacating County Hall ahead of the local government reorganisation decision would be reckless and high risk as it’s unknown which authority will inherit the building and how it could be used and what for.”

It has been previously estimated the refurbishment cost of County Hall – to bring the building up to the correct standards – is around £30m over 12 years.

Coun Liz Clunie (Lab) said she ‘didn’t agree’ with the selling of the historic headquarters, particularly being close to the shake-up of Nottinghamshire’s councils.

Labour group leader Coun Penny Gowland said the plan ‘shows no commercialness’.

She continued: “Once it’s gone, it’s gone.

"It may result in a short-term fund for the council finances but it will lead to a long-term loss – this fire-sale approach sums up to the Tory approach.

“I’d say the current use of County Hall space is appalling.

"I’ve never seen an explanation for figures for running costs.

"Does it include IT or take account of the costs of providing of the space of the staff who have to be relocated from there?”

Coun Johno Lee (Con) said: “Most of us know council reorganisation is going to predominantly include County Hall.

“If the unitary authority agree the boundary changes, anything within their boundary they, in essence, get, so you’re going to be handing them around £50m of the county offices because you’re not brave enough to sell it.”

The Conservatives’ amendment was voted down with 43 against, 17 for and one abstention.

Reform’s budget passed with 40 votes for, 20 against and one abstention.