Stoke-on-Trent City Council plans merging facilities in single buildings

LIBRARIES, children's centres and local centres could all be forced to share space under council plans to offload properties.

Merging council-run community services into fewer buildings is one of the strategies being considered by Stoke-on-Trent City Council as part of its £24 million savings in 2012/13.

The move would see a number of facilities brought under one roof, allowing the council to sell off properties and cut running costs.

But the authority has refused to reveal which facilities will merge.

Office space in locations across the city, including Swann House and Swift House, could be sold in favour of moving staff to Hanley's new Central Business District (CBD).

Hanley Town Hall, pictured above, has been linked to plans to lure a high-class hotel chain into the city.

Consultants brought in to carry out a £5,000 review of the city council's property portfolio recommended selling or signing off 30 of the 40 properties they looked at.

Fenton Manor leisure centre, the Civic Centre and the Potteries Museum were all considered as part of the review, although it is understood that none are likely to be sold.

Local centres in Abbey Hulton, Blurton, Fenton, Hanley, Longton, Meir, Norton and Tunstall could be considered for mergers with other nearby council facilities.

Anna Machnik, from Blurton, uses her local children's centre with all four children.

The 33-year-old, of Chilworth Grove, said: "We've been assured that any services put in with children's centres will be appropriate. We would love something like a library.

"I'm happy with the ideas at the moment, but we'll see how it goes."

If the recommendations are accepted, the council would consolidate office space outside of the Civic Centre within the CBD.

A report produced by King Sturge and obtained under the Freedom of Information Act states: "The conclusion of this report is that the council has viable options to relocate to the proposed CBD and release some of its remaining estate to reduce running costs and to generate capital."

Doug Wardle, spokesman for the City Centre Partnership, below, said: "The business district is a good idea, because all of the people based there will use the rest of the city centre for shopping and during their lunch hour, but we do need more information on where the staff would be coming from and what would happen to the buildings."

Part of the former Spode works is likely to be sold as part of the Stoke Town masterplan with a supermarket earmarked as the likely buyer.

The former Stoke Recreation Centre is also available for sale.