Kent County Council spends around £2 million maintaining its Maidstone HQ

Public cash is being “thrown down a hole” to keep County Hall running during the coronavirus crisis, says a finance councillor.

Around £2million is being spent each year on the safety and basic maintenance costs of Kent County Council’s (KCC) historic headquarters in Maidstone which was built in 1888.

KCC’s policy and resources committee met on Tuesday to review the prospect of moving out of the Sessions House building due to mounting costs, high carbon emissions output and inefficient use of space.

In light of the recent Covid budget pressures, Cllr Peter Oakford (Con), KCC’s finance cabinet member, said the council’s cash could be used more wisely, adding: “We are throwing money down a hole because that money should be utilised in a different way.”

A process to consider the options on the future of Sessions House is likely to begin in September following engagement with key stakeholders and financial case reviews.

Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, only 50% of the space in Maidstone County Hall could be used but that could drop to as low as 25% of capacity given the need for its 1,100 staff members to social distance. Screens may have to be installed and desk spaces reduced.

However, the entire workforce may not be expected to attend at the same time, with many likely to work at the KCC HQ for a maximum of three days each week while working from home the remainder of the time.

KCC’s leader Roger Gough (Con) told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the Conservative administration is considering holding “hybrid” council meetings at County Hall from the autumn.

These would include a mix of councillors attending the meeting virtually from home while others social distance in the council chamber, similar to Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons.

On the future of the Grade II listed Sessions House building, which could be leased or sold, Cllr Oakford admitted it was a “difficult decision” to make.

‘We have an opportunity to move out’

But he told the KCC committee: “When you consider that building has £2million annual operating costs and has a huge negative impact on KCC’s carbon footprint, it does lead us to believe that perhaps we should not stay in that building.”

Cllr Oakford added: “We have an opportunity to move out of Sessions House.”

Several alternative options have been put forward by KCC, including refurbishment or sharing a multi-million pound building with Maidstone Borough Council as county authority chiefs seek to keep Maidstone as Kent’s county town.

On June 1, Maidstone’s district authority announced plans to build a new £50m four-storey civic centre on the site of the former Royal Mail sorting office next to Maidstone East Railway Station, directly opposite KCC’s Sessions House.

Council papers reveal it has been proposed to be jointly financed by KCC and Maidstone council at around £35m and £15m respectively. It would include a public plaza, gym, green roof and terrace, along with a 443-space car park.

The new build has been described as far more efficient for space for workers, cheaper to run and will be carbon neutral, KCC’s finance cabinet member said.

KCC’s main opposition leader Rob Bird (Lib Dem) said: “If you look at Sessions House or any other building, there are an enormous amount of challenges.

“Not just about how many members you can get in the chamber or Darent Room, but staff accommodation and ancillary parts of the building.

“Things like the lift, staircase, washroom, kitchen and everything else and to convert all this to allow social distancing. These have cost implications.”

However, Kent county councillor Trevor Bond (Con), who also raised concerns, added: “Have we taken into account that for all the reasons we are looking to move out of Sessions House, what’s going to happen to it?

“It’s not exactly a desirable building to buy and obviously if we can’t find a buyer for it, the building will still be on KCC’s books, at a cost.”

In response, KCC’s director for infrastructure, Rebecca Spore, said: “We have looked at opportunities for residential uses and other commercial uses, such as hotel operators and all sorts of different options and what might be viable and attractive in the current market place.”