Matt Western calls on Warwick District Council to disclose relocation costs

Warwick and Leamington MP Matt Western has called on Warwick District Council (WDC) to reveal how much was used to fund their headquarters relocation plan, which has now been scrapped.

On Tuesday, WDC announced that the project to relocate their headquarters and replace Covent Garden carpark will no longer be pursued. It was also announced related issues will be “considered by the council at a future date”. 

This proposal faced widespread backlash over the past year, which saw locals protesting outside the Leamington Town Hall and campaign groups such as Leamington Together being formed.

“The public want transparency and demand to know why the council is pursuing these plans without having presented robust alternatives, particularly given many other options available,” Matt Western previously told The Boar. 

“I particularly pay tribute to the residents for being organised and making such a strong opposition to the council. I simply try to support them when I can.”

Reacting to the council’s plans being scrapped, Mr Western said: “This has only come about because of public outrage and my petition. Unopposed, it would have happened. 

Instead, the cloak and dagger nature of projects such as this are of concern to myself and residents in the district

– Matt Western

“So thank you to the public for supporting the campaign and opposing this unnecessary vanity project.”

He raised the remaining issue of “how many millions this has cost the taxpayer in wasted project costs and fees”, adding that he has asked the council for “full disclosure”. 

“This kind of outsourcing and private involvement in the business of local authorities should always be subject to the highest possible scrutiny,” he said.

“Instead, the cloak and dagger nature of projects such as this are of concern to myself and residents in the district.”

Moreover, the council – for which tax has been raised by 5% – “is yet to commit to scrapping the Riverside House project entirely”.

“Council fence-sitting over this project has gone on for long enough,” Mr Western continued. 

“I have been consistently vocal against the move, which in my view, and the view of many business owners in Leamington, would be seriously damaging to the local economy.”