A COUNCILLOR who criticised the “vast” public expense involved in leasing an office complex for council staff has been invited to tour the site.

County Councillor John Shuttleworth said Durham County Council’s 20 year lease of the Spectrum 8 office space at the Spectrum Business Park, in Seaham, was not value for money.

But developer Paul Wellstead said the council had secured a “staggering” deal for the two storey 30,000 sq ft office block and said Cllr Shuttleworth should come along and take a look.

The 20-year-lease involved a rent free period of seven years, six months. But from October 2017, £358,620 rent will be payable each year until the end of the lease in March 2030.

Staff at Spectrum 8, which was sold in September for £4.75 million to a private investment company, were previously housed in accommodation belonging to the former Easington District Council.

Cllr Shuttleworth said: “The council is tied in over 20 years and even with the seven years free rent it is the vastness of the money that will be spent thereafter that is my concern.

“It seems an ill thought use of funds when we are looking to make savings. To me if you already own buildings it does not make good sense to get rid of them and then go and lease something else.”

Mr Wellstead said: “The council has been a fantastic anchor tenant and they have helped cement the success of Spectrum and its place in the wider regeneration of Seaham.

“They’ve moved from very old, very expensive to maintain, very energy inefficient offices to a modern A grade work space which offers significant benefits in terms of keeping their overheads to an absolute minimum.

“I would be delighted to meet Cllr Shuttleworth at the site and show him what a difference it is making to the local economy.”

In a testimonial published on the Spectrum Business Park website, Sue Kelley, a special projects manager for regeneration and development at Durham County Council, said: “The location is ideal…there is also ample car parking on site.

“The office space is entirely flexible and has enabled the council to adopt modern ways of working with open plan environments and excellent meeting and conference facilities.”

Stuart Timmiss, head of planning and assets at Durham County Council, said: “Having staff based at this location enabled us to maintain the council’s presence and customer services in this part of the county. It also delivered significant savings through a series of office closures.

“We continually review our accommodation requirements and have made significant savings as a result.”