AN ADVICE centre will be relocated, despite cross-party opposition from local councillors.
Mole Valley District Council's executive agreed on Tuesday to move the Leatherhead Help Shop from its High Street premises to the library, in Church Street, saving the council £40,000 a year.
The executive came under fire in September, after invoking a "break clause" on the shop's lease without consulting Leatherhead councillors, and at Tuesday's meeting Councillor David Sharland (Con, Leatherhead South) accused the executive of being "unimaginative".
"All five Leatherhead councillors were of one voice," he said. "You [council leader Chris Townsend] have heard yourself, when you attended the Leatherhead and District Forum, the ferocity of comments coming from members of the public."
At a scrutiny committee meeting on Monday, members voted six votes to five in favour of negotiating a new short-term lease at the current location while more options were explored.
Councillor Stephen Cooksey (Lib Dem, Dorking South) said those opposed to the move raised concerns the library was not "fit for purpose", as it could not provide the same facilities or space.
He also said there was anger the break clause was used without consultation and that the shop would be based outside the town centre – making access harder and leaving another High Street property vacant.
"The executive has been almost wholly defensive," Mr Cooksey said. "This is a recommendation that they have put forward that they will defend quite regardless of the comments coming from members in the area."
But Councillor John Northcott (Ind, Ashtead Common) said "local" councillors should mean all those in the north of Mole Valley in this case – and on that measure opinion was split.
Councillor James Friend (Con, Westcott) said moving the centre 290 metres from its current base to the library was a better option than cutting the CAB budget by the £40,000 which will be saved by the relocation.
The executive agreed to a secondary recommendation from the scrutiny committee to encourage Surrey County Council to move the library to the town centre, and promised to review the decision once usage levels could be determined.
Mr Townsend (Ind, Ashtead Park) said: "We are in a very difficult position as are many other councils in the country.
"Therefore a saving of that sort is extremely valuable for us and we must be quite cognisant of the whole of Mole Valley in dealing with this."
