A SCOTS council has all but scrapped plans for a new multi-million pound headquarters despite all ready having spent significant sums of public cash on the plans.
Falkirk Council voted against its proposed £23m new base and town hall, with the scheme unlikely to be reconsidered until after next year's local elections.
It has been estimated that plans to replace the Municipal Buildings have so far cost the taxpayer £560,000 in professional fees.
Cancelling it completely would add at least another £470,000 to the bill, with a meeting on Wednesday agreeing to put the plans on hold by just one vote.
The council also abandoned a £7m proposal to relocate the town hall to the new £80m Forth Valley College Campus.
A new investigation into potentially siting an arts and civic centre in down town Falkirk will be taken forward.
The opposition SNP on the council claimed the entire scheme had been "kicked into the long grass", while Craig Martin, how heads the Labour-led authority, blamed an estimated £20m cut in funding by the Scottish Government in 2017 as key in the decision.
Work on the replacement HQ, in Falkirk's West Bridge Street, had been due to start in the autumn and followed a previous council proposal to close three offices and move over 500 staff to the new location to save cash over the longer term.
The authority hoped to save over £800,000 a year in rent and more in heating and maintenance costs, as well as generating further income from selling the site to developers.
Cllr Martin told the Falkirk Herald: “Two years ago asset rationalisation was a good idea given that no money to pay for it would have to come from any other council service.
“But times have changed. With the funding gap in the next financial year estimated at £20 million, and taking into consideration the statement from the First Minister there will be a review of local government, it would be inappropriate to build a new council headquarters if there is not going to be a council here. These things are game changers and the people of Falkirk district should know that.”
The SNP's David Alexander said: “Due diligence has not been carried out while £1m was spent before there was any public consultation. It’s all been smoke and mirrors and it hurts me to say there has to be a change in this administration. We all know this will not come back before this council before the election next year.”
SNP group leader Councillor Cecil Meiklejohn said: “The full list of options for the headquarters have not been investigated and having been starved of investment for many years, the town hall can be upgraded above the specification of the proposed new facility at less cost.”
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