The New Forest District Council’s £1.75 million refurbishment may be scrapped due to financial concerns and government reorganization plans
Lyndhurst: Last summer, the New Forest District Council gave the green light for a £1.75 million refurbishment at Appletree Court. The plan was to modernize the east wing, which would then allow the south wing to be rented out. This rental was expected to bring in about £300,000 a year for the council.
However, things have taken a turn. Now, councillors are set to discuss scrapping the whole scheme. They’ll be talking about it at a meeting on January 23, and it will go to the cabinet and full council for final approval.
A report ahead of the meeting raised some red flags. It mentioned worries about whether the project could pay back the investment in the time originally planned. With the government’s devolution agenda and potential local government changes in Hampshire, the council is feeling the pressure.
The report suggests that the council should remove the scheme from its plans and adjust its financial outlook. They’re also looking to put £200,000 back into the budget for a smaller set of works at Appletree Court, but details on what that would involve are still under wraps.
With the government’s English Devolution White Paper hinting at big changes for local councils, the future of New Forest District Council is looking a bit shaky. The current two-tier system is expected to shift to larger unitary councils that handle all services, and councils need to submit their proposals by March.
In many cases, these new councils will serve areas with populations of 500,000 or more, which could mean significant changes for local governance.
