'Eyesore' scaffolding costs £80k after 15 years

The council secured a court order to put up scaffolding in 2010

The cost of "eyesore" scaffolding that has been on privately-owned flats for 15 years is now about £80,000, a council has heard.

Herefordshire Council secured a court order in 2010 to put up scaffolding at Jacob's Court, a five-storey converted warehouse in Hereford, after structural issues were found.

Chairman of Hereford Civic Society and city councillor Jeremy Milln said repairs approved in 2022 had not begun, safety work was needed, and costs were at £80,000.

The council said it was working with the owners' management committee and costs were about £65,000.

A director of the Jacob's Court Residents Company, Alison Rogers, has been approached for comment.

Ms Rogers had submitted an application to carry out work on the building in 2022.

'Speedy conclusion needed'

In questions by members of the public, Mr Milln said the issue was raised with the council in 2021 and in 2023, adding: "Another two years on... the building remains as much of an eyesore as ever it was."

He said: "Before anyone is injured by it, its unsafe panels must be replaced and the eyesore scaffolding and sheeting removed, if only to put a stop to the continuing drain on the public purse."

He asked what the timetable was for carrying out remedial work at the building in Commercial Road, and "recovering some £80,000 of Herefordshire Council's taxpayers' money".

Councillor Elissa Swinglehurst said costs were about £65,000, which the council "will seek to recover".

She said: "The situation is ongoing, so it's very hard to give you a definite timeline because conversations are in train, so we can't really say any more than that at this point."

"We recognise the need to bring this issue to a speedy conclusion and are working with the owners' management committee," she said.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, which covers councils and other public service organisations.