County Offices up for sale?

[Old Cruser]

Is this right does anyone know or just a rumour.
We have just been told the DCC County Offices in Matlock are up for sale.

We have looked and it is actually on teletex!
There are an awful lot of people working there!

[Slacker]

Not heard anything official but at Chesterfield we are keeping the town hall but having a big move around and renting out some space

[Old Cruser]

It's on the teletex Andy think £157 million was quoted?
I know they have been selling buildings and squashing social services staff in to 'share a desk' but the County offices?
How many work there any idea?

[Alsatian]

How many work there any idea?

I'd guess about half of 'em!! 

[Big Dave]

NEDDc is moving out of their Saltergate building and some floors are already rented to DCC. Would make sense for the county council to be based in the biggest town in the county.

[therealjr]

Would make more sense to scrap the county council !!!!

[Big Dave]

I'm very much in favour of unitary authorities. Why it's necessary to have so many tiers of local government is beyond me.

[therealjr]

Because it would require a politician to vote for it and thus put a lot of his fellow (all be it lower level) politicians out of a job.
Too many vested interests

[Big Dave]

Because it would require a politician to vote for it and thus put a lot of his fellow (all be it lower level) politicians out of a job.
Too many vested interests

I don't think so. When unitary was considered in Somerset I'm sure it went to a referendum of the electorate. The sitting county council was very much against it and led a 'No' campaign which won - unfortunately.

[therealjr]

When it was last debated around here at least 2 borough councillors were employed by DCC and tried to use their position to influence chesterfield to vote for a single county wide unitary authority. The preferred  option was a top right hand corner unitary authority but bolsover refused to join in because their leader at the time didn't want to give up his position as he liked his national standing on housing issues. When politicians get involved it's never about what's best for the people.

[Slacker]

A lot of shared services with NEDDC & Bolsover, I thinks such a move is closer now than ir ever has been

[therealjr]

The way things are going there will be nothing left to combine!!!

[Old Cruser]

Is it maybe a way to squeeze out L/A and make them privately run do you think?