COUNCILLORS agreed yesterday to spend over £5 million overhauling the offices of Perth and Kinross Council.
Acknowledging that the costs were considerable, council leader, Councillor Ian Miller, said it would save money in the long term.
“This gives us the opportunity to provide a better and more sustainable future for this council,” he said.
“It also gives us a means of making significant financial savings without affecting our service delivery.”
The plan is to give up leases across Perth and house staff in just three centres. To achieve this, the authority will have to spend £5.225 million to make the offices at 2 High Street and Pullar House, and the IT centre at Carpenter House, fit for purpose.
Councillor Willie Wilson said he was afraid they were trying to make a “silk purse out of a sow’s lug”.
He said they would be “crazy” to install a new boiler at 2 High Street without also making improvements to windows and doors.
He was assured by council officials that the improvements would be ongoing and attempts to identify other funding sources would be made.
