Windermere Parish Council could be forced to move out of its home in the town if plans to convert the building for affordable housing go ahead.

Council officers have warned that upgrading Langstone House to bring it into line with disabled access legislation would be very expensive, or even impossible.

South Lakeland District Council, which owns the building, has suggested that if the parish council was prepared to hold its twice-monthly meetings elsewhere, the Broad Street premises could be converted to provide local people with much-needed housing.

"There must be a number of other buildings within Windermere where the parish council could meet on two evenings a month, whether it's one of the hotels, whether it's in the Marchesi Centre it's not for me to tell them," said SLDC chief executive Philip Cunliffe.

"I'm hoping they will say for what we are paying in rent and lighting, it might be a bit cheaper."

Mr Cunliffe said the district council's lake administration sub-committee, which meets at Broad Street, could be relocated, while SLDC's finance department cashiers' counter could be housed within a shop in the heart of Windermere.

Coun Brendan Jameson told the corporate governance overview and scrutiny committee there was an important potential for affordable housing: "Windermere Parish Council would be prudent not to be perceived as digging their heels in."

Both the overview and scrutiny committee and the cabinet gave Mr Cunliffe the go ahead to enter into negotiations with Windermere Parish Council.

Parish council chairman Adrian Faulkner welcomed early talks with the council.

"As to what is going to happen to Langstone House, if SLDC can find alternative accommodation for the finance department that would be welcome, but of course Windermere Parish Council would have to start to look for alternative accommodation, which at the present time isn't available."

l Members of SLDC's cabinet also agreed to plans to upgrade both Kendal and Ulverston Town Halls.

At Kendal, the work will include improved disabled access to the council chamber, development of the two committee rooms, and an upgrade of the members' room. However, following concerns from some members that the scheme was too costly, the plans have been scaled down from £131,000 to £85,000.

The Ulverston scheme would cost around £300,000, and would include improved security and access.

The changes were proposed because the cashiers' offices did not meet Health and Safety Executive standards; there had been a series of incidents in which a housing officer had been threatened by physical violence in circumstances that could have been avoided if interview facilities were available; and the Disability Discrimination Act required lift access to the first floor. Financial contributions towards the work will be sought from Ulverston Town Council and the county registrar's department.

Both the proposals will now have to compete for funding alongside other SLDC projects.

April 24, 2003 14:30