DISTRICT COUNCIL WANT TO STAY IN THE GUILDHALL AFTER ALL - LATEST PROPOSAL TO CABINET LOOKS PRETTY CREATIVE!

EXTRACTS FROM A REPORT OF THE STRATEGIC DIRECTOR (RESOURCES) FOR THE WODC CABINET MEETING ON 13 OCTOBER 2004

Generally, the Guildhall building is very tired and falls some way short of the standard of facility the public deserve and have come to expect. Suitable alternative premises in Chipping Norton have not been found, or at least there are none currently available or likely to be available at a cost which would make relocation the preferred option. This report outlines proposals for refurbishing the Guildhall. There are a number of services provided from the Guildhall currently. On the  ground floor, there is the Visitor Information Centre (VIC) and separately a cashiers desk.  The cashier is behind security glass and is set up to receive cash, cheques and credit card payments on behalf of the Council (mainly council tax) and on behalf of West Oxfordshire Housing (mainly rents). On the first floor there is a Building Control reception point and offices for 2 further Building Control staff.  Further office accommodation is available for Environmental Services staff who have a near permanent presence at the Guildhall. There is a meeting room which is also used by the Town Council from time to time.It is proposed to open up the ground floor area and to create a mini one stop town centre shop, based on the Witney model. The ground  floor would be levelled and public toilets and a kitchen area provided where the VIC is currently located. There would also be a meeting room. There would be no cashier screen. Cheques and  credit card payments would still be received but cash payments would not be accepted. Instead, customers would be directed to the Post Office opposite and which is generally more easily accessible. It is proposed that there would be 2 general receptionists who would be trained to deal with all types of queries. It would allow a Visitor Information Service to be delivered dealing with local frequently asked question and services, including the selling of National Express Tickets and limited stock publication such as maps and guides. More detailed advice and bookings would be available via a free phone service to one of the dedicated Visitor Information Centres in the district via a telephone hotline and/or internet kiosk. This would be a year round operation, with no change in service during the winter months as currently proposed. It is likely that the full-time Building Control presence at Chipping Norton would cease and, with the introduction of the one stop shop, the continued presence of Environmental Services staff would be unnecessary. The Building Control staff would be based at Witney and would be able to take advantage of the economies of scale and communication improvements resulting from closer daily contact with  their work colleagues. The first floor offices at the Guildhall would provide accommodation for Building Control, Planning and other officers to conduct meetings at Chipping Norton on a pre-arranged basis e.g. surgeries, appointments etc. The flexible  space on the first floor will also be for use by the Town Council. In addition, an area of space for sub-letting has been identified. Given the nature of the proposed layout on the first floor, it is suggested that this space be let to a "friendly" organisation. The rent could be in the region of 5,000 per annum.The Town Council could also benefit from the increased potential for joint working as Town Council queries could be dealt with by the general receptionists for example during the afternoons when the Town Council offices are closed.  The works are planned to start around the beginning of April 2005 and complete in June.  it is estimated that this project (building works and furniture) will cost around  100,000.

READ THE FULL REPORT AND SEE FLOOR PLANS

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TALK ABOUT SPIN!! THE WODC ARE CLOSING OUR VISITOR INFORMATION CENTRE FOR THE WINTER TO SAVE MONEY THEY ARE PUTTING A LEAFLET RACK AND A PHONE LINE  INTO A TABLEWARE SHOP INSTEAD.  NOW READ ON.........

VISITOR INFORMATION MOVES TO A SEASONAL OPERATION

A new seasonal Visitor Information Point will operate in Chipping Norton over the winter months, starting the beginning of October. The new Visitor Information Point will offer local information and assistance 7 days a week; 10 am to 6 pm Monday Saturday, and 11 am 5 pm on Sundays. This service will be based at Ultimate Living at 4 West Street.Cllr Tony Walker, Cabinet Member for Cultural Services said: "We are delighted with this arrangement and the fantastic support weve had from a number of local businesses in Chipping Norton who are keen to help us continue to offer this service." "Obviously this new Information Point will not provide the full range of services currently offered at the Visitor Information Centre at the Guildhall, which is fully networked and professionally staffed. However, it will offer visitors the chance to find out what there is to see and do in and around Chipping Norton, to purchase guide books, maps and walking routes a very popular pursuit for visitors to the town."The Visitor Information Point will host a dedicated hotline through to one of the Visitor Information Centres in the district, to provide assistance with more complicated enquiries and accommodation bookings. The decision was taken to close the Visitor Information Centre for the winter season following a review of the Councils expenditure on tourism.

District Councillor Eve Coles (left)  has strongly opposed this closure and issued the following statement today...." I have opposed the winter closure of our VIC because we have tourists through out the year in Chippy. They need up to date information on available accommodation and as the total value of tourism to the West Oxon economy is now in the region of 207M it seemed silly not to provide a full VIC service here. I understand we are to have an information point for enquiries from visitors to the town to direct people to the nearest fully networked VIC so that they can find out what accommodation is available  and  book their National Express coach tickets. I suppose an information point is better than nothing and we should appreciate staff of Ultimate Living for giving up their time to provide a service through the winter but what do I tell the local people, often elderly non-drivers who have always been able to purchase, with cash, their National Express tickets I am sure local shops and businesses cannot be happy about this loss either and I will do my best to see a full VIC service resumed in the summer".
 

MORE SECRET SKULDUGGERY
The staff at the Chippy Visitor Information were  told in early March that the office is to be closed from the end of September to 1st March every year to cut costs. This was first we heard of it. There was no warning of this - or consultation. In their search for savings the WODC Finance & Management Overview and Scrutiny Committee received a report on 18th February on how to achieve Tourism savings of 40,000. The report was not made public and the meeting was in "secret" - YET MORE EXEMPT INFORMATION!.  Before the minutes of this meeting were published the decisions were reported (and presumably ratified) at a Cabinet Meeting on the 25th February. (A Report on the Future of the Chipping Norton Guildhall has gone through the same process and we know nothing about that either). At a Full Council Meeting  on 3rd March

Word on the street says that discussions are now in hand about trying to make alternative arrangements for the Winter - like taking over the corner of a retail outlet perhaps Any one have any information about this

WHATS HAPPENING TO THE GUILDHALL

The Guidhall is a 16th Century Grade II Listed Building.

Extracts from the WODC Finance Committee Minutes:

There are clearly problems with the existing building in terms of both condition and suitability. Bringing the interior up to a modern standard will cost around 40,000

Occupation by the Town Council is longstanding dating back to Local Authority reorganisation in 1974 when the freehold of the building was transferred to the District Council but subject to "user rights" enjoyed by the Town Council. No lease is in existence and no rent is paid

It is essential that the Council should identify with some certainty the required presence within the town in terms of size, function and arrangement and it may be that the experience of the Witney Town Centre Shop can assist in this process. The matter is under active consideration by officers including a watching brief on the availability of suitable premises in the town, although this is very limited. It is intended that a detailed report will be provided in the near future with costed options for consideration, including that of refurbishing the existing building. Officers have also been monitoring progress in relation to the Countys aim of relocating the Library, which adjoins the Guildhall. This could conceivably present an opportunity to relocate the Guildhall functions to a shared site and if this was the case there may also be room for co-operation over the future use/disposal of the Guildhall and Library sites if this was considered to be the right option at that time.

Strategic Director (Resources) agreed to bring forward a report by March 2004 to include a review and suggestions on formalising the relationship in relation to rent and lease arrangements, to further review open market and sitting tenant values of the building and to consider the legal arrangements surrounding the building.
 

From the District Council's Asset Plan (July 2003)

The Council operates a small satellite office at Guildhall, Chipping Norton which houses a cash office, staff from Environmental Services and Building Control and the towns Visitor Information Centre (VIC). The Councils future presence in this freehold property continues to be under review as it is considered that it is far from ideal in terms of layout, accessibility and running costs. It is anticipated that the next step in this process will be the preparation of an options appraisal report with regard to alternative provision within the town, cost/value implications and perceived service benefits. The Chipping Norton VIC is located in the Guildhall building, mentioned earlier, and there are reservations over its size, location and access arrangements. Clearly the anticipated options appraisal report in respect of this building will need to have regard to the provision of a VIC facility in the town.

Two small depot facilities are situated in Chipping Norton and Woodstock though these are largely limited to street sweeping and cleansing operations in these respective towns. Condition surveys have reinforced the view that the Chipping Norton depot requires significant repair and having regard to other problems including the lack of yard area, poorly configured space it is anticipated that an options appraisal report will be prepared in the next three months examining the costs and benefits of a relocation and the development potential/value of the present site.

It has been agreed by Cabinet that the Chipping Norton outdoor pool will remain operational for the 2003 summer season although its future is to be reviewed thereafter.

COMMENT: As Local Government and public agencies review their assets in the town it looks highly possible that three more publicly-owned sites (The Guildhall, the Council Depot, and the Open Air Swimming Pool) will be added to the Castle View site, the Ambulance Depot and the NHS Centre as "surplus to requirements" or too expensive to renovate. In the privately-owned sector, the District's new "Affordable Homes" Strategy  has put a kind of planning blight on the development of the British Legion site (and will probably do the same with others). Secrecy surrounds the discussions over Parker Knoll SEE STORY. While different organisations worry over "maximising their assets", the Town sits in the middle and still badly needs (for starters) a new library, a Youth Centre, a decent Visitor Centre, a bus station and a proper home for the Museum.....as well as jobs, affordable homes and more industrial units!  The Town Council meantime is still discussing general conclusions from an Appraisal carried out ages ago which has been completely overtaken by events. We need specific proposals before its all too late. Please post your comments in the