Cllr. Marie Baker

To ask the Chief Executive to outline the changes taking place in the old Council Chamber,
including the timeline and projected cost?
Reply:
Following a conservation review, the plan for the Old Council Chamber is to update the space
to provide a flexible meeting room that can serve a variety of uses while respecting its
historical importance. It is envisaged that the refurbished space will be suitable for holding
receptions and events which are smaller in scale than those held in the Assembly Hall. In
addition, it is envisaged that the space will be suitable for meetings that are smaller in scale
than full Council meetings, examples include SPCs, Area Committee meetings and Municipal
Council meetings etc.
The scope includes:
• Removing the plinths to make the floor level
• Relocating the main desk to the east side of the room
• Removing all loose electrical fittings and obsolete electrical and AV items
• Fitting out the room with flexible furniture to facilitate a variety of uses.
• Painting the existing walls
• Installation of wireless AV facilities to enable hybrid meetings and webcasts.
The Facilities section is currently finalising a tender pack and expects to have costs for the
work by mid October.