There's a rumour circulating that our public lending library is to relocate to the county hall building. This in an effort to save £55,000 running costs—the current building is quite expensive to maintain. An officer of the county council is believed to have admitted that county hall is currently under-utilised as it is. This in spite of significant office space at Trem Clwyd and Prestatyn's Nant Hall closing and, more recently, the council's Brighton Road building. But one of the reasons behind buying out the PFI was to fill up county hall: under the PFI, the more staff within, the higher the bill paid to the facilities management company under the terms of the PFI. Under the PFI, there was little incentive to load the building up.
If true, there are two issues with this possible development. One is that the library was converted 25 years ago at considerable public expense. It replaced a sub-standard offering at the Old Gaol in so-called "temporary" accommodation. Part of the plan to move the library to Record Street was to bring the current building back into use, after a long time, recognising the structure's importance to the streetscape.
Secondly, and more importantly, were the library to leave its Record Street home, just what will Denbighshire do with the building? If it could be sold for an acceptable use, the change may be OK. But what possible use will a grand building such as the library actually have? Can any business afford it and the maintenance liability? It doesn't lend itself to much. The unusual layout, lack of parking and that frontage all see to that. Indeed, a closed building will be equally costly for the council; it really may as well stay open till sold.
But that's not all.
Only recently has the county council blocked off the wording on its signage referring to the former building managers under the PFI. The logo and typeface are out of date
If true, there are two issues with this possible development. One is that the library was converted 25 years ago at considerable public expense. It replaced a sub-standard offering at the Old Gaol in so-called "temporary" accommodation. Part of the plan to move the library to Record Street was to bring the current building back into use, after a long time, recognising the structure's importance to the streetscape.
Secondly, and more importantly, were the library to leave its Record Street home, just what will Denbighshire do with the building? If it could be sold for an acceptable use, the change may be OK. But what possible use will a grand building such as the library actually have? Can any business afford it and the maintenance liability? It doesn't lend itself to much. The unusual layout, lack of parking and that frontage all see to that. Indeed, a closed building will be equally costly for the council; it really may as well stay open till sold.
But that's not all.
- The former county council offices at 46 Clwyd Street is closed—and this was actually a potential candidate site for a relocated. This still unsold (for 2½ years, now).
- The Nat West is now also shut, though not a council responsibility.
- There's a question mark over what to do with the Rhos Street School building when the new site is commissioned.
- Denbighshire is making overtures towards the town council to take over the town hall, another building Denbighshire no longer needs.
- The Old Picture House, a different though no less significant property still