The petition aimed at getting the Council to reveal its future plans for the Guildhall is beginning to attract more supporters. It is set to become one of the largest “on line” petitions collected over the last few months. It can be supported by accessing this link

http://democracy.york.gov.uk/ have your say Petitions Save the Guildhall

The Councils plans, to vacate the Guildhall, are being reviewed at a special Scrutiny Management Committee which is being held on Monday, 30th January, 2012 (5.00 pm Guildhall). The meeting is open to the public.

Meanwhile the Council is pressing ahead with work on its new HQ in Toft Green. When complete the building will provide a base for approximately 1400 staff.

Construction is well underway on the new office accommodation which includes a refurbishment of the existing (former railway HQ) building together with a proportion of new build totalling approx 13,600sqm.Construction is scheduled to be completed, and the building handed over to the council, at the end of September 2012.

Following a period of fit out and familiarisation the council will begin the process of relocating staff to the building from the end of 2012. The building will be fully operational early in 2013.

We have been inundated with claims and suggestions about the (still secret) future role that the Councils leadership see for the Guildhall. These include use as a possible Arts Centre and /or drug use advisory office. Others have suggested in the media that the building could be converted into residential accommodation.

However, all of these suggestions seem highly unlikely to us as the internal layout and listed status of the (labyrinthine) building means that options for change are very limited. Until recently there was a caretakers flat in the building and there is a modern annex with a separate access both of which might provide some flexibility, but office or leisure (museum) use remain the only obvious options for the historic part of the complex.

The Council has recently announced that hire charges for the Guildhall will increase by 70% for the next (financial) year suggesting that part of their plan is to stifle demand for the casual hire of the hall and adjacent committee rooms.