Thornaby Town Council News : 22 January 2010

Thornaby Town Hall

TTC held a Special Council meeting on Friday 15th January to discuss various matters associated with the proposed sale; including the result of a survey carried out by TTC and to agree to pursue the matter through Downing Street and other sources.

Members voted unanimously that a letter be sent to the Prime Minister Gordon Brown with copies going to the Secretary of State for Local Government & Communities Minister The Rt Hon John Denham MP, Dari Taylor MP, Mr James Wharton (Conservative Candidate for Stockton South), Fiona Hall MEP, Martin Callanan MEP, Stephen Hughes MEP, One North East, Mrs Yvonne Hossack (Human Rights Solicitor) and various press and media outlets, exposing Stockton Borough Council (SBC) duplicity and total disregard for Thornaby heritage in the proposed sale of Thornaby Town Hall. It is patently obvious that SBC Consultation Strategy is meaningless and that council’s Political and Corporate notion of heritage and responding to community is nonexistent.

A letter was also sent to SBC’s Principal Solicitor in reply to a letter received stating the results of an ‘Information Event’ which took place between 2nd and 8th December 2009. TTC’s replied explaining that residents of Thornaby had no choice but to vote in favour of the redevelopment due to the wording of the questions.

SBC’s results showed 73% of those who completed a representation form were in support of Python Properties proposals to restore Thornaby Town Hall to its former glory. While TTC’s question of ‘Do you agree with the sale of Thornaby Town Hall to a private developer? returned a result showing 97.4% do not agree with the sale.

Thornaby Town Council is not against the refurbishment of the Town Hall, what members disagree with is the sale of a Grade ll listed building for a paltry sum of £101.000 and then the use of public money, achieved through grants and rental cost to restore the building resulting in colossal profits for the developer.

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