Executive decides not to proceed with new County Hall

Surrey County Council's Executive have decided not to proceed with its PFI contract plans to build a new County Hall in Brewery Road, Woking. They announced this last week, but without revealing which other alternative they want to pursue instead. As a result of questions by County Councillor John Doran (Woking, Horsell) at this week's Council meeting it emerged that the Executive have not yet agreed how best to proceed and an announcement about the future should not be expected for some time.

Explaining this sudden change of plan, the Leader (County Councillor Nick Skellett) said it was due to a combination of different financial reasons. The Executive had decided in principle to proceed with its PFI contract as recently as March 2005, but Mr Skellett said the decision to cancel this plan was "the right decision for the County at this time."