Hertfordshire County Council Runs Up £1.5 Million Bill for Security on Empty Buildings

Hertfordshire County Council Liberal Democrats are amazed by the massive security bills they have uncovered at County Hall. In the period since 1st April 2010 HCC has run up a staggering £1.5 million bill to secure vacant property sites, including those awaiting demolition and sale. Council Tax payers have footed the huge bill while HCC has spent years dithering about what to do with empty premises.

Over £280,000 has been spent securing the Bill Everett Centre in Watford while it awaited demolition, and over in Hatfield £212,000 has been spent securing Sunny Bank School while it has been "prepped for disposal".

Leader of the Opposition on HCC and Lib Dem County Councillor for Watford Central and Oxhey, Stephen Giles-Medhurst commented, "The Conservatives at County Hall have clearly not had their eye on the ball on this. They have allowed security charges to rack up year on year while local Council Tax payers are footing the bill.

"Vital services are at risk but they are spending millions on securing empty buildings they want to sell. It looks like they are fiddling as Rome burns."

Paul Zukowskyj, Lib Dem County Councillor for Hatfield South, added, " The Council will claim that they are waiting for the right time to dispose of properties, but some of these have been sitting vacant for 4 or 5 years while we pay to secure them. This is not acceptable when services to local people are being cut. It is also the final insult to residents in my Division that a further £36,000 has been spent on an Incinerator that they do not want."