WHITCHURCH Town Council is set to advance plans to take over the Civic Centre despite reservations from councillors over potential repair work.

In 2018 it was agreed that the freehold of Whitchurch Civic Centre should be transferred from Shropshire Council to Whitchurch Town Council, including all responsibilities to repair the building.

In 2014 the facade of the Civic Centre was renovated as well as the buildings foyer, but several other areas of the building still require repair or refurbishment.

At last month's Whitchurch Town Council meeting, a proposal to refurbish the Civic Centre was accepted by councillors, despite some councillors raising objections over a perceived lack of clarity over how much these repairs would eventually cost.

At October's full council meeting, held virtually on Thursday, October 15, acting clerk Gillian Bailey said the town council were investigating what was left to be repaired.

"At the moment the last jigsaw piece is the stopping up order at the front of the building and at the moment we're actively investigating the outstanding works to the building," she said.

But concerns over what repairs needed to take place was at the forefront of Councillor Andy Hall's mind.

"I understand there has been some emails to and fro regarding the work at the back of the Civic and indeed who's responsible to its repair," he said. "I understand it has been going on for some time but councillors haven't been made aware of it – why haven't councillors been made aware?"

Ms Bailey explained that the town council were still trying to ascertain costs before speaking to Shropshire Council.

"At the moment we're trying to work out what the costs are," she said. "We need to get some further facts on the costs and have a conversation with Shropshire Council about how to move forward."