A TOP councillor has insisted that Batley Town Hall is not for sale.
Clr Ken Sims, Kirklees Council's Cabinet member responsible for regeneration, today dismissed any prospect of a sell-off when cash office and other information services are modernised and transferred to the town's library and information centre.
Over the next few years the council plans to develop a network of library and information centres, building on successful ones already operating in nearby Birstall. They will bring together under one roof services now spread across a number of buildings in town and village centres.
Cash office services in Batley will be combined with other information and public services in an improved overall service in the library nearby.
Clr Sims said: "There is absolutely no question of selling off the town hall, and anyone who claims that is on the cards is simply scaremongering.
"Batley Town Hall, in common with our other town halls, is a valuable community and civic building. It will remain so.
"Officers across a number of services are looking at options for the future public and community use of the building. These will be costed and put to the local area committee and the Cabinet.
"We will be carrying out some community consultation in the Batley area in the New Year - to identify what the needs of the community are to identify any gaps and consider when future investment decisions in the area are made."
