Residents’ leader demands apology over sale of Cheshire’s County Hall in Chester

Mar 3 2011 by David Holmes, Chester Chronicle

A RESIDENTS’ leader who complained to the auditor about the handling of the County Hall sale feels he’s been vindicated.

Reg Barritt, general secretary of Handbridge Residents’ Council, is demanding an ‘unreserved apology’ from the council to the community.

He said: “We are pleased that our complaints about the way Chester County Hall was disposed of to Chester University have at last been vindicated by the auditor.

“In the rush to sell, we note the report confirms the method of disposal did not constitute best practice regarding method of valuation.

“Of special significance to us is the finding that many CWAC council members as well as our public were denied a right to proper consultation and adequate briefing over both the actual sale, and prior to that discussion over the intentions for change of use of County Hall from the earliest pre-planning stage.

“All along we have been saying this was their duty in face of persistent denials of this right by a series of CWAC council spokespersons.”

Mr Barritt was among those who petitioned Parliament over the way the County Hall sale was handled.

He added: “In light of these auditor’s comments we demand an unreserved apology be registered at the next full council meeting to the community regarding the way our interests were mishandled in this affair.

“We also ask that an assurance be given that CWAC will in future ensure our rights, as defined by the auditor, to early meaningful public consultation over disposals such as this are respected.

“We ask not only full council but also CWAC’s overview scrutiny committee to acknowledge this right and to determine to behave accordingly in future. So far, overview scrutiny’s responses together with those of the legal department to us have been inadequate in this regard.”