Liberal Democrats celebrate historic town hall victory

Members of the Liberal Democrat group on Brentwood Borough Council were last night celebrating an historic victory after joining forces with other like minded councillors to save Brentwood's Town Hall and retain it as a seat of local government in Brentwood.

In a move that clearly rocked the Conservative administration led by Cllr Louise McKinlay to its core a number of disaffected Conservatives, all the Liberal Democrat group and the sole Labour councillor put party politics firmly to one side and backed a motion put forward by Cllr Russell Quirk to retain the Town Hall and agree the principle that part of it would continue to be used to maintain it's civic presence within the original building.

After an earlier motion put forward by the Liberal Democrats and backed by other opposition members calling for detailed financial options that would make it possible to retain all the Town Hall as the seat of local government in Brentwood had been defeated, those wanting to save the Town Hall got behind the second motion and won the day by just two votes.

Speaking after the meeting Liberal Democrat Leader Cllr David Kendall said "I am proud of the Liberal Democrat group because from day one we have consistently fought to save the Town Hall and retain it as the seat of local government in Brentwood. We stuck to our guns through the whole process, stayed true to the residents that supported us and working with others managed to achieve an historic result that should keep the building for future generations of Brentwood residents. We were happy to put party politics and past differences to one side and support Cllr Quirks motion because it supported our prime objectives to save the Town Hall and firmly eject any new build. During my nineteen years on the Borough Council I can't remember a night quite like it, but I believe cross party we have made the right decision for the people of Brentwood and at the end of the day that is all that matters"

Cllr David Kendall

Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group

Brentwood Borough Council

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