Rising costs forces pause to library plan
THE RISE in building costs is forcing the council to pause plans for a proposed new library in Twyford.
“It is a real disappointment that we must pause our efforts,” said council leader John Halsall at a meeting of Wokingham Borough Council’s executive on Thursday, September 30.
“I understand this will be disappointing and want to assure everybody that we remain supportive of the principle of the new library, and that this is a pause to allow us time to make the right decision,” he said.
The council had been due to discuss buying the lease from Polehampton during the meeting, but this item was expunged from the agenda as a result.
Cllr Halsall explained: “We were due to discuss the lease for a proposed new library for Twyford this evening but are now not able to do so. The recent and rapid increase in building costs across the country necessitates pause to consider how we ensure value for money for all residents. A recent tender exercise for the work required for this project revealed a significant increase of above previously planned and budgeted costs.
“It is well known that I have personally husbanded this project with my executive and invested much time and political capital to its realisation, with very little local member or parish council tangible support. So, it is a real disappointment that we must pause our efforts.
“This is simply not the moment to be cavalier with our capital spending.”
Later in the meeting, Cllr Stephen Conway (Lib Dem, Twyford), asked if one part of the library could be named after Twyford resident Dave Turner “in recognition of his considerable efforts on this project”. Mr Turner had helped fundraise and champion the project, including re-enacting a record-breaking seesaw challenge he carried out in the 1960s.
He died earlier this year. Responding, the executive member for neighbourhoods and communities, Cllr Bill Soane, said: “It is a consideration we will take very seriously and I hope we would be able to do that”, but added that council would need to make the final decision.
After the meeting, Cllr Halsall said he was “bitterly disappointed” that the plans had to be paused.
“As a backbencher, I tried to get this project going,” he explained, adding that he managed to “strongarm very reluctant officers to agree to the scheme”.
“Officers were very reluctant, as there is already a library in Twyford, and we’d recently spent tens of thousands of pounds refurbishing it, abeilt a Portakabin, but it works. I managed to persuade them.
“But we’re looking at building costs rising between 30% and 100%.
“We’re having to trim our capital budget quite substantially in light of new circumstances.
“Projects that are unsupported, which means they don’t generate an income, we have to review.”
Cllr Halsall said that the lease couldn’t have been signed for at the executive meeting as it was tied to the business case that was going to be presented to last Thursday’s executive meeting.
“This report is now void, and there was no indication as to when the project would be picked up again.
“It is my wish that the project should go through (to completion) but I can’t promise this, because I don’t know what the situation will be like (in the future),” he said.