Hertfordshire County Council councillors have approved a motion on the 15th January to purchase New offices in Hemel Hempsted for a multi million pound deal and at the same meeting they were presented with budget plans that will require £42m of savings.

Financial details relating to the potential freehold purchase were circulated to councillors privately and these were not made public at the meeting.  

Councillor Bob Deering told members of the cabinet that the purchase was expected to achieve 'savings' and the property was “an important location” for the council that had recently come onto the market and they had negotiated what they believed to be “a good price”.  He also said advice from consultants suggesting that by purchasing the building the council would achieve savings.

At present the HCC rents The Meadowside House premises, in Apsley at a cost of approx £825k a year and is used by more than 1000 staff.

Cllr Phil Bibby pointed to the financial savings.  He said: “Looking at the figures, whichever way you cut it, there is a business case for us actually taking the freehold and saving on the rent in the long term. I am quite in favour of this proposal.”

The decision will not be subject to usual ‘call-in’ procedures, that allow councillors to request that a decision is reconsidered.  This was said to be because the council would be likely to suffer “financial prejudice” from a delay in implementing the decision.  But leader of the council Councillor Richard Roberts said opposition party leaders had been made aware of the proposal and that there was cross-party support.