COUNTY OFFICES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 123, 6 March 1936, Page 6

COUNTY OFFICES

NEW PLANS APPROVED. STRUCTURE TO COST £7OOO. SANCTION FOR LOAN SOUGHT. The Ashburton County Council today adopted new plans for the proposed new office block on the corner of Havelock Street and Baring Square East, the plans providing for a structure with an estimated total cost, furnished, of £BOOO. , , . The plans were discussed in committee with the architect (Mr W. Thomas) and the following statement was issued later: — During recent months negotiations have been under way with the Local Government Loans Board, to obtain its sanction for the raising of a loan of £9900 for the erection of new offices, the total cost being estimated, at £II,OOO. It was the Council’s intention to erect a building which .would serve the purposes of the County for the years to come, and to make provision for accommodation which might be necessary because of the ever increasing business which is coming under the Council's jurisdiction. The Loans Board, however, while admitting the necessity for new offices, is of the opinion that it is inadvisable to make provision for so many years ahead,, that the plans submitted should be re-cast so that the present segregation of the various staffs and records should be avoided, and that space contained in the original design should be reduced considerably. . The Board indicated that it was prepared to consider an application not exceeding a total cost of £BOOO, less subsidy, thus reducing the amount of the loan to approximately. £7OOO. The architects having prepared, amended plans in accordance therewith, which meet with the approval of the Council, it was ‘ resolved at the meeting this afternoon that the Local Government Loans Board be requested to authorise the taking of a poll of ratepayers on the amended proposal.