Town councillors in Mirfield who claimed a council meeting had made them sick have been taken at their word.
The Examiner reported in January how three councillors were taken ill after a meeting at the damp-ridden Mirfield council offices in Huddersfield Road.
Landlord Kirklees Council sent in a health and safety inspector and shut down the building claiming £360,000-worth of repairs were needed.
Mirfield Town Council, the last remaining tenant, is now homeless.
Town councillors James Taylor and mother Kath and Mayor of Mirfield Vivien Lees-Hamilton were all said to be poorly after the January meeting.
READ MORE: Councillors say Mirfield Town Council meeting made them sick
Clr James Taylor said the roof was leaking and there was damp, mould and a foisty smell which had triggered his mother’s asthma.
He wrote to Kirklees chief executive Adrian Lythgo saying the building was no longer fit for purpose.
A council inspector agreed and the town council was ordered to quit.
Clr Lees-Hamilton said the building’s problems had been over-blown as had the council’s estimates for repair.
“Let’s be honest, no-one died,” said Clr Lees-Hamilton. “Yes, lead had been stolen from the roof and water had got in but that can be repaired inexpensively and the damp could be managed with dehumidifiers.
“This decision was very convenient for Kirklees but they should come clean and say they wanted to sell it all along.”
Back in December 2014 the Examiner revealed Kirklees had earmarked the potential sale of the town council offices and the St Paul’s Road highways depot next door.
When Kirklees said it intended to charge the town council rent for the first time – around £15,000 a year – the town council said it would consider taking on the building under an asset transfer.
Clr Lees-Hamilton said Kirklees estimated repairs at £360,000 with £150,000 for the roof alone.
The town council is now seeking a second opinion but hasn’t ruled out a deal to take it on.
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The building had previously housed Kirklees Council offices and space for the GMB union.
Clr Lees-Hamilton accused Kirklees of failing to make the most of their assets and warned the building would now deteriorate. “Kirklees wants the one hit of selling it but once the money’s gone it’s gone,” she said.
Fellow town councillor Martyn Bolt said at the Kirklees estimate of £360,000 it would be cheaper to demolish and rebuild. “Kirklees are not managing their assets they just turn them into liabilities,” he added.
Councillors previously complained that Kirklees was slow to repair a broken boiler and also that they had to change lightbulbs themselves.
Tuesday’s town council meeting was held at Trinity Church and the next will be at St Mary’s Church.
