Concerned councillors are “nervous” about the provision of services for people in mid Cornwall when one of Cornwall Council’s main offices is demolished.

The council’s Cabinet approved plans today (Wednesday, July 19) to get rid of its building on Dolcoath Avenue in Camborne to save money.

The decision was taken during a discussion on the ongoing Estate Transformation Programme to significantly reduce the size of the council’s estate, its costs and its carbon footprint. There is a suggestion that the Camborne site will be used for affordable, extra care or supported housing.

Cllr David Harris, Cabinet member for resources of Cornwall Council, said: “In simple terms we would need to spend something like £6.4m to get Dolcoath into reasonable shape; a building that is on average 10% occupied and yet costs half a million pounds per annum to maintain. This just does not make sense.”

He added: “As a Cabinet we have to take some difficult decisions, and this was one that certainly required careful consideration. We have to balance the need to provide core office space for our staff with the requirement to ensure we are providing value for money for our taxpayers.

“By closing the offices at Dolcoath Avenue in due course, we can reduce both our running costs and carbon footprint significantly. We can also utilise our other facilities in the area, including Tolvaddon, Kresen Kernow and South Wheal Crofty to ensure there is no disruption to service delivery and to provide the essential office space our staff require for collaborative working.

“If we are able to utilise the vacated site to provide affordable housing or extra care housing that will be an ideal way to help address some of the housing issues in the area, and I look forward to working on those plans quickly.”

A scrutiny committee had noted a lack of service provision in the south east and north Cornwall areas as a result of the estate changes. Cllr Harris said there were plans for Liskeard and Saltash in the south east and Cornwall Council had carried out a “very practical deal” with Launceston Town Council and was looking drop-in spaces for staff in north Cornwall.

Although not against the proposal, Cllr Barbara Ellenbroek, who represents Redruth South, aired her concerns about the move to close Dolcoath.

She said: “I do have some concerns about the consequences of the closure in terms of the lack of clarity about where services will be delivered from. I understand from conversations with officers there are still decisions to be made on suitability of sites for some meetings and functions. This lack of clarity makes me and colleagues nervous as it is imperative that members of the public know exactly where the services they require will be based and they are easily accessible by public transport.

“For example, the report talks about planning committee and large meeting options being at Kresen Kernow, Heartlands and the Basset Centre in Camborne. I’m unclear whether the Basset Centre is actually fit and ready to be used. Are all these buildings, whatever are chosen, going to be ready for occupation when Dolcoath closes? We cannot afford to simply offer temporary venues if alternatives aren’t ready.”

She added: “We must have an agreed timeline on the programme and what will be built at Dolcoath. My preference – and I think I reflect what other colleagues within the area feel as well – is that we need extra care or supported housing which could potentially then free up some social housing that we have in the patch. I’m not against this proposal but I want to articulate the concerns that colleagues and I have.”

Cllr Harris responded: “This is something where we have to get everywhere ready. Short-term moves don’t work. I understand your concerns and they are very valid concerns. I’m also in favour of extra care housing as it’s vastly needed.”

Phil Mason, strategic director at the council, said there were options about alternative sites but officers didn’t want to pre-empt the decision made at today’s meeting. Those details would be presented to the council at a future date.

Redruth Central, Carharrack and St Day councillor Connor Donnithorne added: “It’s clear that the viability at Dolcoath needed to be reviewed and it’s absolutely right that that’s what we’re looking at. As a Redruth member I want to see that site utilised in a better way for the local community. It’s right that those options are left open for discussion. My focus is what we can do to deliver for the people and businesses of Camborne. My preference on that would be extra care and supported housing to help us with the problems we face in that area.”

Loveday Jenkin, the Mebyon Kernow councillor for Crowan, Sithney and Wendron, was critical of the democratic process which had led to the decision to close Dolcoath.

She said: “All the way through the report it says local members have agreed – the local members that have been served by that hub have not been consulted. There is a non-democratic aspect to this which I think should be considered.

“There is a democratic deficit in terms of a hub in the whole of the Kerrier district if this happens. Members from the Lizard will have to go to Truro or Penzance for services or to have a democratic meeting. What also hasn’t been considered is that Kresen Kernow is a library and archive centre, it’s not a meeting area. It doesn’t make sense.”

Independent councillor Julian German said after the meeting: “Cornwall Council prefers an annual running cost of £2m for Lys Kernow (New County Hall in Truro) against £500k for Dolcoath. Cornwall Council will spend £13.74m more on doing up Lys Kernow when it has already spent £8m on Dolcoath. So much for value for money.”