County Hall is ‘a little leaky’ but ‘not falling to bits’, Wakefield Council meeting told

Wakefield Council’s cabinet members described County Hall as “a little leaky” but rejected claims that it was “falling to bits” as they approved the funding.

The authority set aside £6.5m in 2019 after being told that urgent repairs were required to prevent sections of the roof becoming “at risk of collapse”.

A report published last week said the work had yet to be carried out and the building “has continued to deteriorate” over the past six years.

A sum of £5.9m will now be spent on carrying out the work.

Cabinet members responded to recent social media comments made about the state of the building to allay public concerns at a meeting on Tuesday (February 18).

Council leader Denise Jeffery said: “People were saying that County Hall was about to collapse, which is not true at all.

“But we have to find the funding to repair the roof.

“It’s a building that people care about. It needs looking after and we are determined to look after it.”

Matthew Morley, portfolio holder for planning and highways, said: “That’s not the County Hall that I go in and recognise. It’s not falling down. It’s not in a dilapidated state.

“Civic rooms are still there, looking very grand as they are, but we do know the roof does need repairing.

“We’ve had some tough times over the last couple of years. It’s now right that we do focus some money on that roof.

“I can reassure the public that County Hall, as we all go in there, is still fit for purpose – maybe a little leaky in a couple of places.”

The former council headquarters building, which dates back to 1898, used to host most of the authority’s meetings and almost 500 of its staff.

The council announced its temporary closure in 2022, blaming soaring energy costs required to heat the building.

The 2019 report also said the entire third floor of the building had been closed due to damp.

Meetings were moved out of the building for several weeks in 2018 after water leaks damaged some of the plasterwork.

A staff survey at the time included comments and concerns about the inside being “dark and dingy”.

Les Shaw, cabinet member for resources and property, told the meeting: “It’s a significant building. It’s the main building. It’s not falling to bits. It’s got a lot of good usage at present.

“But we need to make sure it’s watertight. That’s why we are spending £5.9m on making it watertight, so we can then take it to the next level.

“I’m sure we will do that over the next few years. It’s something that we feel really important about.

“Not just the County Hall but the buildings in Wakefield. We are constantly looking at that side of it and we will continue to do so.”

Last week’s report said: “No works progressed due to a combination of factors including the pandemic, resource and capacity on the capital programme and the end of the previous property and facilities management contract in October 2023.

“Since this time the condition of the building has continued to deteriorate with areas of water ingress on the third floor due to a combination of leaking roof areas, damaged windows, wind driven rain and rainwater goods needing upgrades.”

According to the report, a second phase of work is also required.

It adds: “Any funding associated with these works will come forward as a separate project.”

County Hall was home to the West Riding of Yorkshire County Council from 1898 until 1974, when the new West Yorkshire County Council inherited the building.

Wakefield Council acquired it in 1987 after the county council was abolished the previous year.

The building last underwent a major refurbishment in 1991, costing £3m.