Minutes

2024/38: Civic Centre 2 Day Closure Supplementary, Formal Council Questions and Responses - Wednesday, 30th October, 2024

Items
No. Item

1.

Question to the Leader and the Cabinet Member for Assets and Infrastructure : 2024/38 - Civic Centre 2 Day Closure Supplementary

Minutes:

 

Councillor M Howells asked:

 

I am pleased to hear that the leader and cabinet member are reviewing the decision to close the Civic Centre. As expressed the ongoing reviews into assets and customer service are really important and the right decision is to put the closure on hold until those are resolved. The leader may also be aware that there is growing concern about the public perception of the councils services and any proposed closure risks a perception that the council may effectively be moving to a three-day workweek, which could further affect confidence in the services provided at a time when we are trying to restore it.

 

Can the leader outline the scope of his review, the matters that will be taken into account and how members may contribute to the review and when a decision will be published?

 

The proposal to close the Civic Centre two days a week was part of the savings proposals agreed by Council in February 2024 following a period of public consultation.

 

Councillors Batrouni and R Howells responded:

 

The Cabinet Member for assets and I are liaising with officers to review the practical realities of the proposal. After reviewing the impacts and potential savings  the proposed way forward is that the building is closed one day a week on a trial basis to allow us to further understand the practicalities before progressing to any further formal decision.