Defunct Daventry council offices to be sold off

The former Daventry District Council building is mostly empty after the council reorganisation

The offices of a now defunct council will be sold off following last year's restructure of local government in Northamptonshire.

West Northamptonshire Council's cabinet agreed to dispose of the old Daventry District Council building.

It is part of the first phase of relocating council services to a new hub, which will cost about £2m.

A meeting of the cabinet heard it was "undesirable" for the authority to have the offices.

Last year, West Northamptonshire Council replaced Daventry District Council to form a unitary authority, along with the Northampton borough and South Northamptonshire district.

Since then the old district authority office on Lodge Road has been left mostly empty.

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Labour opposition called for the option of retaining the offices to be explored, but the ruling Conservative group said that would result in a financial loss, which council taxpayers would have to bear.

A meeting of the council's cabinet heard keeping it would also leave "the building vulnerable, and does not make any economic or social contribution to Daventry".

The cabinet agreed that unless the council receives a "compelling offer" it would be marketed and sold either as a freehold for the whole building, or leasehold for all or parts of it.

It is hoped the building will be vacated by the end of March next year.