PERHAPS the leaders of Hambleton District Council know something the rest of us don't. Why else would they be thinking of spending £141,000 on revamping the 15-year-old civic centre at Stone Cross when it is just possible local government is going to be shaken up again, courtesy of the Government's ludicrous regional assembly plans.

It is also possible that the Stone Cross building could be redundant in a few years' time if the Yorkshire regional assembly is created and the county council survives in the ensuing local council carve-up.

Ever since the Stone Cross HQ was built, residents in far-flung parts of the Hambleton empire have chuntered about what are perceived to be the council's luxury surroundings in Northallerton. This initiative will add fuel to those long-standing gripes and protestations about the project being necessary to bring the council in-line with Whitehall demands on e-government will fall on deaf ears.

Hambleton could no doubt do more to improve the way it deals with its customers and this plan is part of attempts to do that.

The danger is that with council taxpayers already bracing themselves for unpleasant tax news from the county council and the police authority, this refurbishment will be simply seen as a misuse of public funds.