Brighton and Hove City Council should think twice before it sells more of our assets, this time with the plans to dispose of King’s House (The Argus, September 4).
Firstly, the council should consider the independence of council officers and not fall into the trap of trying to have total control over the council staff in all areas.
Pushing council staff into Hove Town Hall along with councillors, and possibly businesses, could compromise officials and lay the council open to claims of undue bias.
Secondly, it is not clear whether such a move would really save the council money in the longer-term because local councils have been delegated more responsibilities in some departments due to various Acts of Parliament.
“Selling off the family silver”, as the expression goes, is not always the answer, even if we do need to make the best use of office space.
This could be another false economy and it is unclear whether such a move would benefit staff or residents. Other options should be considered, such as leasing part of the building rather than making this snap judgment.
Robert Heale, Chatham Place, Brighton
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here