Popping lights bulbs and a temperamental alarm system have contributed to the near £150,000 bill for the five-year upkeep of Forfar council offices poised to become a town centre superpub.
As JD Wetherspoon confirmed it is ploughing ahead with the detail of the deal which saw Angus councillors agree in private to sell off the three-storey listed property at The Cross, scrutiny of private reports has revealed the full extent of spending on the sprawling property in the past five years.
The Courier yesterday revealed how £147,000 has been spent on maintenance at 5-7 The Cross since 2010, as well as projected short to medium term proposals which councillors were told would total £417,000.
The future spend figure was a key plank of the private report submitted to a full council meeting in March which agreed the sale of the property to JD Wetherspoon for £350,000.
Councillors remain tightly gagged from making any comment on the sale of the property after fury over details of the deal leaking into the public domain.
However, a breakdown of the FOI figures reveals a £2,500 lighting bill, mainly for the repair or replacement of bulbs in the offices.
Tackling fire alarm faults in the property has cost almost £850 and changing codes on security entry systems £630.
The major outlay since 2010 has been more than £75,000 on electrics, including testing and new cabling, with a further £20,000 spent on heating issues.
The redecoration bill for the past five years has totalled £7,300, with repairs to the roof coming in at almost £12,000.
Councillor Colin Brown has said he will be speaking out about the situation once the ban on elected members making comment on the confidential matter is lifted.
“I am bound by the councillors’ code of conduct and simply cannot speak about The Cross,” said Mr Brown.
“But when I am free to comment I intend to have my say on this whole thing.
“It has been common knowledge in the town for months that Wetherspoon have plans for this property and yet this matter remains completely in private.
“So I can well understand why the public are concerned, confused and probably a bit angry about the way this whole issue has been handled.”