Date: 20/11/2007
High Peak Borough Council today announced that it is offering Glossop Volunteer Centre the opportunity of a short-term lease for Howard Town House. The lease will be for a period of 18 months and should take effect in January 2008, subject to the status of their existing lease and the appropriate legal arrangements being agreed.
Howard Town House has been left vacant since July 2006 when Council staff relocated to Municipal Buildings in Glossop. The Volunteer Centre in Glossop is currently based on High Street West, however the lease on their accommodation is coming to an end in December 2007.
The Borough Council agreed to offer the Centre the chance of moving into Howard Town House, providing an ideal solution for both the Council and the Centre - one that would provide a new home for the volunteer service and an occupied building for the Council.
Councillor John Faulkner, Leader of High Peak Borough Council said: "I am really pleased that Howard Town House will once again be occupied, albeit, for a short period. It's makes good business sense to offer this lease to the Volunteer Centre as we can provide a good local home for their valuable community service. It also allows us to make some savings on existing running costs whilst the Council retains the property as part of the wider regeneration plans for the Woods Mill area."
Jo Ward, Director of Glossop Volunteer Centre said: "We are grateful to High Peak Borough Council for their support and allowing us to have a temporary "home" in Howard Town House. We are currently undergoing business planning, which will cover the next 3 years and as such do not want to be tied into a longer-term lease. Having a short-term lease of 18 months will give us time to review longer term options and provides us with a perfect solution for our accommodation."