'A slap in the face for the people of Northampton': Controversy over who will own the Guildhall when council is abolished

Controversy is brewing over which new council will be responsible for the Guildhall in Northampton.

Northampton borough councillors described the slicing up of the historic building between the new town and unitary councils as 'a real slap in the face' for residents during a meeting on Monday (February 22).

Deputy leader Phil Larratt said he was 'devastated' and 'totally disappointed' by a report on the matter published shortly before the de facto last council meeting before it is abolished on March 31.

"The Guildhall belongs to the people of Northampton and it should remain in the hands of the people of Northampton, not in the hands of a remote unitary," he said.

"That's exactly what we said right at the beginning and to go to where we've gone to today I find is totally unacceptable."

The grade II*-listed Guildhall in St Giles Square has been the civic heart of the town since it was built in 1864 and the home of the borough council since it was formed in 1974.

In November, the borough council agreed in principle to transfer ownership of the Guildhall to Northampton Town Council, set up last year in response to the county's governance review.

West Northamptonshire Council will take over council services for Northamptonshire County Council, Northampton borough, South Northamptonshire and Daventry districts from April 1.

Concerns were raised about the new town council taking on too much of a financial burden and only keeping the historic parts of the Guildhall, with the new unitary keeping the modern parts.

But at Monday's meeting, borough councillors were 'outraged' by the latest plans, which the Chronicle & Echo has been unable to find.

Liberal Democrat councillor Sally Beardsworth said: "I'm really, really worried about the Guildhall. The Guildhall belongs to the people of Northampton; it doesn't belong to a council, it belongs to the people.

"I have always believed that and it should always remain so people can go round there.

"It's a historic building, it's got so much history attached to it, it's not fair that the county council is trying to give a part of it to the town council, they should realise how important it is to the people of Northampton.

"I think we're being very shabbily treated by the cabinet on the unitary because they are doing very little to actually support the people of Northampton and this is a real slap in the face for them.

"If this is the case, I'm really worried about the future of Northampton under this new unitary."

Cllr Larratt and council leader Jonathan Nunn insisted the new unitary's executive is not responsible for the proposals but added that they would be 'straightened out' at a future meeting.