Proposals to demolish one of Cornwall Council’s largest offices to make way for social housing has been criticised by councillors this week, with the mayor of Redruth saying the council was stabbing the people of Camborne and Redruth in the back.

As part of the council’s Operational Estate Transformation (OET) Programme, to significantly reduce the size of its estate to save money and lessen its carbon footprint, it has been mooted to get rid of the Dolcoath Offices in Camborne.

A meeting of the customer and support services overview and scrutiny committee on Tuesday heard that since the Covid pandemic, the Dolcoath office has only been at or around 10% of capacity. Average occupancy is around 62 people per day, peaking at 68 compared to a capacity of around 600 council workers.

The council says there is no evidence demand will grow from staff, who are working from home, to return to the office. Alternative office space would be found at council offices such as South Wheal Crofty, Tolvadddon and Kresen Kernow.

The building costs almost £500,000 a year to operate and would require an investment of £6.4m capital (including £1.3m on essential maintenance to external cladding) to remain in operation. A report by the council’s service director Peter Marsh said the cost of demolition and improvements to alternative offices would be significantly lower, estimated at £2.65m.

Cornwall councillors, as well as town councillors in Camborne, have previously supported a suggestion that Dolcoath Offices should be knocked down to make way for social housing.

One local member who strongly disagrees is Labour councillor for Redruth North and Mayor of Redruth Stephen Barnes. He said at this week’s meeting: “To say I am unhappy is an understatement – I am absolutely livid that this council would stab the people of Redruth and Camborne in the back in such a way.

“It was only two years ago that the council made a commitment that Camborne would be one of the lead buildings and, almost on a whim, it has decided ‘oh we’ll just knock it down’. It seems ridiculous to me. Most councils are encouraging staff to work in their buildings as it’s good to share knowledge and experiences.”

He added: “Let’s scat it down, save some money, push people into other little buildings and over time we’ll shut them as well. It looks like the old asset stripping of Thatcherism. I think it’s disgraceful.”

Mr Marsh reiterated: “We are looking to consolidate and reduce the number of buildings that we hold because it does create a significant drain on council resources.”

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Dick Cole, Mebyon Kernow member for St Dennis and St Enoder, was concerned about the long term effects of getting rid of the building. He said: “It’s about improving democracy long term in Cornwall and I’m very fearful that we will undermine our efforts to do that if we are selling off our strategic offices like Dolcoath. I think it could be problematic five to ten years down the line.”

Fellow Mebyon Kernow member Loveday Jenkin was critical that as the member for an adjacent division to Camborne – Crowan, Sithney and Wendron – she had not been consulted about the move. “There is a dispersed population that needs a hub [in that area],” she said. Speaking about Dolcoath, Cllr Jenkin added: “It’s been actively run down in the last few years.”

A recommendation by Independent councillor for the Roseland Julian German, to have the plan to get rid of the Dolcoath Offices removed from the estate transformation programme, was lost. The committee agreed to have a further meeting to discuss the programme before the council’s cabinet makes a decision in July.

Other elements of the OET include remodelling Bodmin’s Chy Trevail offices as an ‘integrated services hub’ (ISH), the creation of a similar hub at Liskeard Cattle Market and refurbishment of St Austell’s White River Place building, Penzance’s St John’s Hall building and the council’s headquarters Lys Kernow / New County Hall in Truro as service hubs.

A previous proposal to create a service hub in Launceston has been cancelled due to costs.