Renovations of the Isle of Wight Council’s main Newport building have again come under fire.
As part of the authority’s future finances, £900,000 has been set aside to reduce the carbon footprint of County Hall — partially funded by a government scheme — to improve windows, toilets and lifts.
A total of £700,000 has been allocated by the government, with a further £200,000 from the Isle of Wight Council.
The aim is to make the home of the Isle of Wight Council more energy efficient and to hit a carbon net zero goal by 2030.
If completed, it would reduce the council’s carbon emissions by 552 tonnes a year – 12 per cent of its footprint.
Improvements to heating and lighting would save £282,937 a year, it has been claimed.
There are additional plans in the budget to allow for other renovations, including £500,000 to be split between air conditioning in the server room and on an uninterruptible power supply and generator.
The scheme has been in the firing line from Conservative group members, who believe County Hall should be demolished and affordable housing be built there instead.
But, speaking at a meeting last week, cabinet member Cllr Jonathan Bacon told fellow councillors there are no plans to knock down the Newport town centre building.
It functions as the authority’s hub, he said, as more departments have moved to Newport and is now the centre of the council’s operations.
Under the scheme, more than £2.5 million of work has already been carried out on 10 Isle of Wight Council-owned properties, including the Heights and Medina Leisure Centres.
A meeting to decide the final 2023/24 budget will take place on February 21.
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