THE future of Flintshire Council’s headquarters is being called into question.

Senior councillors say County Hall in Mold is no longer fit for use as a 21st century office base for the local authority and have called for decisions on its future to be made.

Members at a corporate management scrutiny committee meeting were shown a detailed report on the council’s properties and assets, including the key challenges they could present.

The report said County Hall is “outdated and inflexible in design” and has an inefficient use of space.

Connah’s Quay councillor Bernie Attridge said: “I want to know how long it is going to take for a decision to be made on the future of County Hall.

“It’s no longer fit for purpose and officers have said it will cost a huge amount to bring it up to standard.

“I don’t want to see money being spent hand over fist on the building if the council is going to decide six months down the line that it’s the end of County Hall, or that staff are going to be moved to a new building.”

He added: “It may have been fit for purpose 20 years ago, but this is the 21st century and something needs to be done about it.

“Nearly all the staff have their own offices, which is just not needed. Only senior managers and officers need their own private offices.

“In winter the building is freezing cold and when the sun shines on the windows in the summer it’s boiling hot, because the building is so badly designed.”

County Hall has been at the centre of some varied ideas in the past – including a claim by Saltney councillor Klaus Armstrong-Braun that it should be made a listed building.

Colin Everett, the council’s chief executive, did not comment on the building’s future, but said work was being done to maximise and improve the use of space.

He added: “It is about making the best use of County Hall, which is an ageing, costly building and not ideal for the functions we have.”