County Council Decision on Brewery Road

18th January 2006

The news of the decision by the County Council to reverse its earlier decision to build the new County Hall on Brewery Road in Woking comes as no surprise.

Let's face it, they are looking to plug a hole of £50 million in their budgets, and are being forced to sack over 600 staff and cut services. This decision may appear on the surface to help save money, but does it? What level of financial penalties will the Council have to pay their erstwhile PFI partners Equion? What has been the cost incurred so far?

The Conservative-run County Council has wasted a small fortune in this project. A lot of time, emotion and effort has also been wasted here in Woking in dealing with their plan. Surely Woking deserves some compensation?

The credibility of Surrey County Council must be in question after this fiasco. One reason they give for their change of plan is the review of local government and the uncertainty that brings. Well, perhaps the time has come to declare the County Council, the remote and inefficient body that it is, as redundant.