MP Frank Dobson appeals to minister to stop Town Hall sale

DEAR John, please can you stop Camden Council selling off parts of the Town Hall?

This is the cry from Holborn and St Pancras MP Frank Dobson, who has written to the Labour government’s Communities Minister John Denham in an attempt to freeze the planned sale of the Town Hall annexe, currently home to council offices and St Pancras Library.

Mr Dobson suggested in his letter, seen by the New Journal, that Mr Denham could order the Audit Commission to scrutinise the fine details of any deal, which are currently kept confidential on the familiar grounds of “commercial sensitivity”.

The Liberal Democrat and Conservative coalition running the council want to shed the building because they say it is too costly to run – and has a repair bill of £15 million for faults such as broken down escalators and problem wiring.

They plan to use cash from the sale to create a “new Town Hall” near St Pancras International station, close to the King’s Cross Railwaylands. 

The new site will include a new library and swimming pool.

But there are concerns about what will happen on the annexe site – connected to the main Town Hall building in Judd Street – when a private developer takes over. 

A final deal is currently being agreed and Mr Dobson thinks there are risks to public funds.

He told Mr Denham: “I feel obliged to ask for your urgent intervention... I do this because of the sums of money which will be involved and the possibility that the council may shortly enter into a binding agreement with a purchaser, because local people have been kept in the dark.”

Lib Dem finance chief Councillor Ralph Scott said guesses about how much the council was selling off the building for, and how tall a possible replacement would be, were not appropriate and open to wild inaccuracy.

“It is disappointing that Mr Dobson didn’t share his concerns with us first, as he we would have been able to assure him that he is wholly mistaken,” he said. 

“We would be happy to provide a briefing for him.”

Councillor Andrew Marshall, leader of the Conservative group, said: “This is disgraceful. This is a matter for Camden Council to deal with. 

“It is not for an MP to go to central government trying to override decisions made by local councils just because he may not like the party running them.”
RICHARD OSLEY