A drastic proposal to sell Aberdeenshire Council’s Woodhill House HQ has been revealed amid soaring costs for the huge building.
The idea was raised by SNP group leader Gwyneth Petrie during yesterday’s budget meeting, with the Huntly councillor saying it “made sense to sell for so many reasons”.
The cash-strapped local authority is shelling out £650,000 per year to keep the building as its HQ.
And the Woodhill House site is estimated to be worth £3 million, if it were to go on the market.
Why would council move from Woodhill House?
During the bleak budget meeting, in which councillors reluctantly slashed vital services across Aberdeenshire, the local authority was looking to save cash wherever it could.
Ms Petrie flaunted the idea of flogging Woodhill House to the chamber, saying it was time to flit from the Aberdeen facility where the tense debate was taking place.
She said: “For too many years now, we have debated the future of this building.
“We know that a potential tenant has declared they will not be moving in, and filling our empty space seems almost impossible.
“We pay business rates to a different council. We sit outwith the area we cover.
“For so many reasons, it makes sense to sell.”
How would Woodhill House work?
Having been the council’s home since the late 70s, it would be quite a drastic change to move away from the Westburn Road HQ.
Council chiefs estimated that it would take two years to move staff and equipment to a new home, with Ms Petrie suggesting to use this time to find a more suitable base.
She pointed out: “We have numerous offices around Aberdeenshire where staff could work from, and almost every other function could be carried out from them too.”
And the Huntly councillor also suggested scrapping a permanent chamber altogether, putting forward the idea of holding important council meetings in schools.
What happened to plans to lease out parts of Woodhill House?
Not too long ago, the local authority splashed more than £5.5 million on refurbishment works at Woodhill House.
But the recent £500,000 hit the local authority took after a potential saving scheme fell through sparked the SNP group’s plea to do away with the building.
Last month, NHS Grampian pulled out of plans to lease part of the council HQ – which dashed any hopes of making significant savings from the near 50-year-old building.
However, Police Scotland will still press ahead with its plan to create a hub at Woodhill House.
Staff previously based at the Rosemount, Mastrick and Whinhill stations will relocate to a new base in an annexe building next to the main reception.
Was NHS pull-out the final nail in the coffin for council HQ?
However, during the debate, ruling Tory, Lib Dem and Independent members shot down the idea.
And speaking to The Press and Journal afterwards, Ms Petrie was bemused by administration councillors’ decision not to back her plans.
She said: “You think about some of the cuts that were made, and what we could have done instead of spending £650,000 per year on a building they don’t use to its full capacity.
“We’ve never been enthusiastic about Woodhill House but we’ve held off because there was this idea that NHS Grampian would use this empty space, and that budget pressure would go.
“We now know that’s not happening, we don’t have any other plans.
“I know they’re looking at leases for other people but that will be small scale, so it makes sense to take the decision now.”
Why did administration shoot down Woodhill House sale?
The only response from non-SNP members during yesterday’s meeting to the idea was from councillor Mark Findlater, saying his “mouth dropped” when he heard the proposal.
So what did Ms Petrie think was the reason behind their lukewarm reaction?
The Huntly councillor pondered: “I don’t think they like change.”
What do you think of the plans to sell Woodhill House? Let us know in our comments section below
Why keep Woodhill House?
Ruling group leader Gillian Owen argued that leaders are actually “focussed on making the best use of the facilities within Woodhill House”.
She added: “Officers are having active discussions with a number of public agencies to take space here.
“As we have seen with the Peterhead Academy, construction costs very high, and it’s better for carbon to make sure of what we have rather than rebuild.
“Here in Woodhill House, we have big meeting rooms, and a council chamber so, currently it makes best use rather than replace.”
You can view the full meeting here.
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