Challenge to sale of Pudsey Town Hall

By Don Mort, local democracy reporting service

Additional reporting: John Baron

The sale of a historic town hall building could be re-considered if a challenge by opposition councillors is successful.

Leeds City Council decided to put vacant Pudsey Town Hall on the open market, saying it was costing too much to maintain as it struggles to balance its budget.

Last summer more than 1,000 people signed a petition against selling the hall, which has been closed to the public since 2016. Pudsey’s Conservative councillors also launched their own petition.

But the Robin Lane building was deemed surplus to requirements and council bosses said it would be sold by the end of March.

Now the move will be debated at a council scrutiny board next month after a request by opposition councillors, led by Conservative Andrew Carter.

A formal request for a “call-in” of the sale decision said: “There has been inadequate consultation with local members regarding the disposal of Pudsey Town Hall.”

Leeds City Council was in talks with non-profit Pudsey Town Hall Community Interest Company (CIC), but said no viable way forward could be found.

But the call-in request said there had been a “failure to fully engage effectively with the CIC over the past two years, particularly in a timely manner.”

The councillors said the sale would also lead to a loss of historic memorabilia at the 19th century hall, which used to house Pudsey Borough Council until 1974.

The call-in report said: “The proposed course of action aims to realise a capital receipt, however the disposal will have a disproportionate impact on the local community.

“Since closure to the public in 2016, the council has failed to find alternative uses for the building and properly explore viable alternative options.”

The report also raises a lack of consultation with the people of Pudsey.

Councillor Andrew Carter (Cons, Calverley & Farsley) said in a statement: “As the youngest-ever member of Pudsey Borough Council, I feel very strongly that we are being ‘sailed down the river’.

“I’m very pleased to be leading this call-in. To be frank, the council has made a dog’s breakfast of the whole issue.

“There’s been a complete failure to fully engage with the Pudsey and District Civic Society, Community Interest Company and local members. The decision has been rushed through and is simply an act of municipal vandalism.

“The way the council are handling this is an insult to the people of Pudsey. The ward boundaries of Calverley and Farsley stretch well into Pudsey – my constituents and myself have a huge interest in saving the Town Hall, and I will be asking the council to reconsider their decision to sell.”

The call in notice has been supported by Pudsey Councillors Dawn and Simon Seary (Cons) along with other Conservative, SDP and Garforth Independent councillors. Cllr Trish Smith (Ref, Pudsey) was unable to sign the call in due to her involvement with the CIC.

The call-in will be debated at a meeting of the council’s Infrastructure, Investment and Inclusive Growth scrutiny board on January 5. The agenda and reports can be read here.

It means the sale decision could be referred back to the council for re-consideration, or released for implementation.

• WLD has been following local and national government cuts in West Leeds via its Cutswatch series here.

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