Peterborough Town Hall to Suspend Public Meetings

Public meetings will no longer be conducted at the city’s town hall while repair work is underway. Peterborough City Council announced that, starting in January, meetings would instead be held at the authority’s offices located in Sand Martin House, within Fletton Quays. The council stated that certain sections of the town hall, situated on Bridge Street, were deemed “not fit for purpose” following the detection of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac). A spokesperson indicated that additional building surveys are anticipated to conclude by Spring 2025, which will assist in establishing the potential completion date for the repairs. A spokesperson for the city council explained: “The changes have been made following a review of the current arrangements, the condition of the building and fire safety of the premises, specifically relating to the requirements for evacuation of large numbers of members of the public from the upper-floor meeting spaces if a fire occurred, in particular those with needs that the council may not be aware of. “This means these rooms are no longer suitable for public use. “In addition, work on the building will be needed next year, following the discovery of Raac.”Issues with the heating system, which make the meeting rooms very cold during the winter months, are also a reason for the decision.” The building has been partially closed since earlier this year, subsequent to the discovery of Raac on its second floor. This particular floor is leased and utilized by staff from the NHS and the Department for Work and Pensions, who have since relocated to a different section of the building.