Plans for Town Hall Complex's future examined

Manchester City Council will take the first formal step in developing a strategy to modernise the Town Hall Complex next Tuesday, 22 July.

Members of the Resource and Governance Overview and Scrutiny Committee will consider proposals in an ambitious proposed strategy which will:

• Improve the way in which services are provided to Manchester people through a one-stop-shop customer service centre in the Town Hall.
• Substantially improve the facilities at Central Library and make them fully accessible to all.
• Include a programme of essential repairs to all of the buildings.
• Enhance the whole of the area around the Town Hall and Central Library, making it a world class destination at the heart of the city.
• Improve the efficiency of the buildings, to reduce their carbon footprint and prolong their operational life.
• Allow more of the council's workforce to operate from the Town Hall, saving money by reducing the use of other buildings across the city centre.

Councillor Bernard Priest, Executive Member for Finance and Human Resources, said: "This is an ambitious and exciting strategy, which I have no doubt will be examined very carefully by the scrutiny committee next week.

"They will want to understand how Manchester people will benefit from what is being proposed, and how it is all to be afforded. The committee will be told that the proposals are at an early stage in development, and their input is important to help shape the vision for some of the UK's finest civic buildings.

"I will be urging them to take a substantial interest in this project, and to prioritise the work to reinvigorate Central Library, which is one of our most loved buildings. They will understand, I am sure why this is critically important to the people of Manchester.

"I will also be recommending to them that some urgency is needed for the proposed development of a one-stop-shop customer service centre in the Town Hall, to guarantee first rate services to local people.

"The committee will also hear my recommendation that the proposal to install a public car-park under the Peace Gardens should be seen as a low priority. There should be no plans to develop such a car park using public money."

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