Basingstoke Tories Plan to spend over £11 million on office make-over

In Basingtoke the Tory Council is planning to spend over £11 million on the Council Offices. Reports seen by Councillors revealed the plans involve spending tens of thousands on new carpets and desks.

Out of the proposed refurbishment, the Tory Council leader would get a large office with completely new furnishings. A plush second room would be created for the Cabinet. The council chamber would also be upgraded with new chairs for Councillors, despite the existing chairs being in perfect order.

The Tories have said they could squeeze staff into the Deanes building and off-load the Parklands building, just months after spending money on it. Consultants looking at the project admit there is no financial case for making changes to the building.

Cllr Brian Gurden and the Liberal Democrates voted against the proposals after the matter was debated in the Council. Cllr Brian Gurden says "In all the surveys we do on what matters most to our residents, new offices for councillors have never been on the list, let alone at the top. It is simply the wrong time to be spending money in this way. It would be far better to spend money on keeping travel tokens."