New Town Hall plan for Tower Hamlets branded “expensive vanity project”
Tower Hamlets Town Hall, Mulberry Place. - Credit: Archant
Plans for a new Town Hall unveiled by Mayor of Tower Hamlets Lutfur Rahman have been branded “another expensive vanity project” by critics.
Mr Rahman said a new building would save residents cash, insisting the lease on the current Town Hall is unaffordable.
The plan for a brand new venue to replace the existing site, in Mulberry Place, Blackwall, was revealed at a behind-closed-doors meeting last week.
Cabinet member for resources Cllr Alibor Choudhury said: “The current Town Hall lease costs the council millions of pounds in rent each year; this is a massive drain on our resources.
“The current Town Hall is also located in an area that is not as accessible as it should be, to local people. That’s why we’re looking at new sites in the heart of the borough that will lead to a rent free asset that will benefit the community for generations.”
You may also want to watch:
But opposition councillors dismissed the announcement as a “pie in the sky plan”, insisting a looming budget shortfall in 2016 meant it was an unachievable goal.
Labour group leader Cllr Joshua Peck said: “It is unbelievable that the Mayor would want to spend millions of pounds on another expensive vanity project building a new Town Hall.
Most Read
- 1 Luxury Canary Wharf flats going for lower rent set by the council
- 2 Driver, 18, wanted for driving wrong way through Blackwall Tunnel
- 3 Fines totalling £361k handed to East End landlords and agents
- 4 Isle of Dogs man who murdered teenager at Crossharbour DLR sentenced to 27 years
- 5 Liverpool Street to Shenfield line suspended as person hit by train
- 6 Barts Health NHS Trust reports one of lowest rates of vaccinated staff
- 7 Man charged after triple stabbing on night bus in Mile End
- 8 Road and rail disruptions to expect in east London this week
- 9 19 arrested and cash seized in East End dawn drug raids
- 10 Man killed after fall from Bow tower block
“Residents will be outraged that the Mayor is considering building himself a new state of the art office.”
Tory leader Cllr Peter Golds was equally scathing, adding: “The first thing they’ll consider is will there by a parking space at the front big enough to show of Lutfur’s car?
“They are always talking about cuts, but they always throw money at something to benefit him or his supporters.”
The council declined to disclose how much it was planning to spend on the project, which sites were under consideration, how much the lease of the current site was costing the taxpayer, or any timetable for completion of the project.
