Wokingham Borough Council will decide the future of its headquarters at an executive meeting on Thursday 25 March - whether to stay at Shute End or move into town-centre property at 28-38 Peach Street.
A report discussed by councillors recommends keeping Shute End as the main HQ until 2036 and running it on a "planned maintenance and compliance" basis, rather than fully refurbishing or replacing it. The paper warned the government's so-called 'Fairer Funding' settlement is expected to strip around £43m from the council's budget over three years.
Supporters say Shute End works well for democracy and is roomy for visitors. Council leader Stephen Conway said: "Having spent a grueling number of hours this morning in Reading council chamber, I can assure you that ours is a good one." Labour leader Rachel Burgess urged care over the decision, adding: "Given the increasing number of staff returning to Shute End and higher levels of office attendance, retaining operations at Shute End currently appears to be the most financially sustainable option."
Opponents point to parking and access. Conservative leader Pauline Jorgensen said: "I've been to a licencing committee this week. Absolutely impossible to park. If you don't get here at 8 o'clock in the morning, you can't park. It's okay for people who are here all day, but it't not very easy for people who are coming in for an hour."
Shute End needs rewiring and kit updates after parts were closed during the pandemic, though staff are returning. Officer Sarah Morgan said: "As of the end of this calendar year, the Shute End offices will be full again and operational and staffed." She also told councillors the audio-visual systems in the chamber and meeting rooms will be completely replaced during August.
Peach Street - a long thin town-centre unit once home to Waitrose and later M&S Food Hall, now partly occupied by Forces Support - could make services more accessible and has car parking off Rose Street. If the council stays at Shute End it will need to decide new options for 28-38 Peach Street, such as redevelopment or a different use for the prime site.
Ted O'Neill, Local Democracy Reporter
