Council puts off decision on new offices

FRODSHAM Town Council has put off a decision on moving to a new home – probably until the New Year.
The council went into private sessions to consider four possible locations – with a recommendation from the Policy and Process Committee that the council should move to the still under construction  Halpin House, on Frodsham Station car park.
Three other options had been considered by the Policy and Process Committee – staying on the first floor at Castle Park House, renting the former HSBC bank building or purchasing the former Nat West Bank building.
But after a lengthy debate, it was decided to defer a decision. A number of councillors expressed a preference for remaining at Castle Park House
Earlier, a member of the public, Mr Terence Dillon, had addressed the council on the issue.
He said he had been a resident of Frodsham for 68 years and was not happy at the recommendation that the council should move to Halpin House, nor that the matter was to be discussed at a closed session of the council.
Castle Park had been left to the people of Frodsham and had always been the home of the Town Council, he said.
Halpin House was unsuitable because many people would not be able to get to it without a steep climb. There were also parking difficulties – would people be expected to pay to use the station car park when visiting the council offices?
Parking at Castle Park would always be free, he said.
He criticised the council for going into private sessions – “like a secret society” – to discuss the matter.
The people of Frodsham were entitled to know the cost of the options to be considered, he said.
Chairman Cllr Judith Critchley explained it was necessary to discuss the matter in private because some of the information was commercially sensitive.