Council to plug £126k gap in Whitby Old Town Hall renovation plan

Plans to plug a budget shortfall of more than £100,000 in the Whitby Old Town Hall project have been approved by North Yorkshire Council.

At a meeting of NYC's executive committee on Tuesday, November 19, council bosses voted to unanimously approve a further £126,00 of funding for the Whitby Old Town Hall project after submitted tenders exceeded the budget. The scheme, which was allocated £1m from the government's Towns Fund, aims to renovate and secure the building's structural integrity to bring it back into public use, including as an art gallery.

Speaking at the meeting, the deputy leader of the council and executive member for finance, Coun Gareth Dadd said he was "very happy to support this very worthwhile project". "I think it will be of great benefit to the town of Whitby and it shows our support to that town," he added.

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In September, North Yorkshire Council asked companies that tendered bids to resubmit to "hopefully bring the preferred bidder within the budget available". However, even after the tender addendum was issued a budget shortfall of £126,000 still existed, according to an update.

A report prepared for the meeting stated: "The further procurement has caused delays, and some spend will defer to 2025/26. It is recommended that the additional budget of £126,000 is approved from the council Strategic Capacity Reserve to allow a contract award with the preferred bidder to redevelop the Grade-II* Listed building and marketplace and prevent any further delay."

Gary Fielding, the council's corporate director of services, confirmed that the authority was exploring the possibility of using funding from within the approved Towns Fund programme. Mr Fielding told the meeting: "I'm happy enough with the recommendation but in terms of the spirit of it, it would be to earmark the funding as a contingency arrangement should there be a need to call upon that.

"But it may be that there is Towns Deal funding that can be drawn down against that other spend but if it can't then there would need to be a contingency." In addition to the restoration work, the first floor and attic rooms would be developed into an art gallery and studio for resident artists.

The market square outside the Old Town Hall, which is still regularly used as an outdoor market, is also set to receive upgrades in the form of level paving to improve accessibility for people with reduced mobility. A frame structure could also be erected in the square to provide additional hooks, lighting and electricity for traders after the council expressed concerns about protecting the historic fabric of the market.

The scheme was originated by the now-defunct Scarborough Borough Council which appointed London-based architects Burrell Foley Fischer (BFF) to develop the proposals for the Grade-II* listed 18th Century building.

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