Romsey's Council offices are no longer in any danger of closure following a crucial meeting of the borough's top brass this week.
Earlier this year councillors commissioned a report on the feasibility of closing Duttons Road and relocating many of its 90 staff members at Beach Hurst, the authority's Andover HQ
The idea sparked alarm and controversy in the town, but council workers were left in jubilant mood after the Borough executive had met in the Duttons Road offices on Wednesday night.
They voted unanimously in favour of a proposal by Conservative Daniel Busk, amended by Liberal Democrat Mark Cooper, that: "The executive recognises significant service and staff benefits in operating from two centres and continues to deliver services from Beech Hurst at Andover and Duttons Road at Romsey."
The meeting was attended by around 40 Duttons Road staff, some wearing T-shirts emblazoned with 'We would rather be in Romsey'.
The mayors of Test Valley (Neville Whiteley) and Romsey (Dorothy Baverstock) and other borough councillors, as well as heads of various council departments, were also in the packed council chamber.
Corporate director Bernard Sully, who prepared the report on the implications of the move, said councillors would only consider moving if the standard of services could be maintained or improved.
He said the closure of Duttons Road would result in "what is known as informal contact" with the public.
He added that a recent £1.3 million valuation of the Duttons Road site had been updated to "between £130,000 and £1.7 million".
If it was sold for £1.3 million, the cash injection to the council after relocation costs had been met and a smaller local presence office acquired in Romsey would leave £474,000 in addition to a saving of just over £88,000 per year.
Leading the attack on the closure was Michelmersh and Timsbury Parish Council chairman Doctor Bill Lees, who said: "If the offices are closed then, taking only the larger of the Southern parishes into account, some 40,000 people will be disadvantaged by having the centre of expertise moved some 20 miles further away from them," he said.
On behalf of the staff, Romsey's Unison branch chairman Peter Phillips handed in a 3,000 signature petition from people in the Romsey area objecting to the closure. He said: "There has been no public consultation and no consultation with the partners we serve from these offices."
It could also be difficult, he suggested, for the council to obtain suitable alternative accommodation for around 18 customer services staff remaining in Romsey if Duttons Road was sold.
Romsey businessman Anthony de Sigley told the executive that the Borough's presence in Romsey was of "vital importance" as an employer and in its effect on the character of the town, which, he said "must be more than residential and retail."
Immediately the public had had their say, there was a proposal from Councillor Busk that the council should continue to operate from both Beech Hurst and Duttons Road.
He felt the Borough's computer technology was insufficiently developed to maintain standards at one centre, there had not been enough canvassing and he was not convinced that the financial gains were sufficient to justify it.
The proposal was seconded by Councillor Norman Arnell, who said too little emphasis had been put on the number of people who would have to drive to and from Andover.
Romsey's prospective Conservative parliamentary candidate, Councillor Caroline Nokes, said she had received "an enormous number of letters from parish councillors, the Romsey and District Society, residents and our own staff".
She added: "Public transport links are not good - to go from Romsey to Andover, you have to go via Winchester or Salisbury - and the technology doesn't yet work adequately to provide the sort of service we need.
Councillor Martin Hatley said he had been visiting the Duttons Road offices for 22 years as a parish councillor and now a borough councillor and added: "My heart says I'd rather wear the T-shirt that says 'I'd rather be in Romsey'."
Councillor Mrs Sally Leach made an unsuccessful plea for the executive to insert an assurance into its decision that the question of closing Duttons Road would not be considered for a specific number of years and added: "It is bad to have this hanging over people and I don't think it should just be relief in time for Christmas. It should be long-lasting relief."
Her fellow Liberal Democrat Councillor Mark Cooper felt that "the hidden cost to the public" had not been fully itemised in the report and recalled that in his early days as a councillor, he had successfully asked for the Duttons Road car park to be made available on Saturdays.
That 74-space car park would be lost if the offices closed, he said.
On the practicality of fitting Romsey staff into Andover, Councillor Mrs Sandra Hawke said: "I don't believe the people will fit in and if they don't fit in, the whole of the rest of it is inconsequential."
Afterwards, Mr Phillips said: "This subject comes up every few years and it would give the staff some comfort if they knew the council was not going to be looking at it again for a number of years."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article