Page 16 - Jigsaw March 2020

THRAPSTON TOWN COUNCIL PRESS RELEASE
Town Council Withdraws from Library Purchase
For immediate release: 3rd February 2020
Thrapston Town Council has made the decision to withdraw from the purchase of Thrapston Library despite spending the last two years proactively trying to secure the building as a public asset for the benefit of the town.
It has been the Town Council’s strategic plan to seek to develop a Community Hub for the town as a place of many uses for its residents, including a library provision. When the library building became available to the Town Council to purchase, it was felt that this was a good central location and would be a great asset. Meetings were held with Northamptonshire County Council and Heads of Terms1 drafted.
The Heads of Terms unfortunately have not been agreed and there was no room for negotiation on the side of the County Council. The Heads of Terms as drafted were heavily in favour of the County Council and on the advice of our solicitor they do not make for a good deal for the Town Council or the residents of Thrapston. As such a decision was made at the Town Council meeting in January to withdraw from the purchase of the library building.
Northamptonshire County Council have a statutory duty to continue to deliver a library service in Thrapston (a minimum of 12 hours per week) so rest assured, a library service will continue in Thrapston. In the meantime the Town Council will continue to investigate opportunities to develop a Community Hub in Thrapston.
The Town Council wishes to thank everyone involved in the library process over the last two years for their support and assistance and gives thanks to Northamptonshire County Council’s staff for their time at meetings and in dealing with correspondence.
Telephone: 01832 734 673
clerk@thrapstontowncouncil.gov.uk
Web: www.thrapstontowncouncil.gov.uk
Thrapston Town Council, 77 High Street, Thrapston, NN14 4JJ
Facebook: @thrapston.towncouncil Twitter: @thrapstontc
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Contact your Councillors or write to the Clerk at:
ThrapstCoonnTtaocwt DneCtaoilsu:ncil, 77 High Street, Thrapston NN14 4JJ Linda Marshall, Clerk to the Town Council
01832 734673
Email: office@thrapstontowncouncil.gov.uk
1 A document which sets out the terms of a commercial transaction agreed in principle between parties in the
Open hours: Monday – Friday 9am – 12.30pm
course of negotiations.
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