Bridgend Council’s Cabinet is expected to approve a contract with Knox and Wells to start work on the redevelopment of Maesteg Town Hall next week (pdf).
The redevelopment – outlined here – will include a new library, volunteering centre and performing arts spaces. Bridgend’s family history library is also set to eventually move there.
I’ve been reliably told there have been serious concerns about the state of the roof and floor and questions have also been raised as to why a full structural survey wasn’t carried out before the contract was put out to tender. This was confirmed in a separate report on BCBC’s capital spending plans (pdf – p4) which says the roof will need to be completely replaced and also mentions asbestos removal.
As a result, the total cost of the project now stands at £8.2million (it was £6.3million last July) under a “worst-case scenario”. Additional structural surveys have been carried out and what’s described as a “value engineering exercise” is set to be undertaken to find cost savings wherever possible.
