New leader raises hopes for Lowestoft Records Office to staypublished at 12:48 British Summer Time 25 May 2018
Local Democracy Reporting Service
The new leader of Suffolk County Council, external has given campaigners fresh hopes the Lowestoft Record Office, external will remain in the town library (pictured below) or another building.
Save Our Record Office, external campaigners presented a 7,395 signature petition against the closure of the office to Matthew Hicks's first council meeting as leader on Thursday and he said he recognised their concerns.
The Conservative-run council planned to move the bulk of Suffolk's archive to a proposed new £20m building in Ipswich, called The Hold, which will be part-funded from its own assets, the lottery and the University of Suffolk.
Mr Hicks told the campaigners he acknowledged their concerns and those raised by local residents, groups, town, parish and district councils.
"We have agreed to formally consult on the future. We want to work with east Suffolk councils and Lowestoft Town Council, to develop a business project for a fully-funded and sustainable facility for Lowestoft," he said.
Trudie Jackson, who presented the petition, said that those who had signed felt "disregarded and disrespected" over the county council's lack of communication with locals.
She added that those reliant on public transport would face an eight-hour round trip from Lowestoft to the proposed new record office building in Ipswich, called The Hold (model pictured above).