Rutland County Council to buy new boilers for The King Centre in Barleythorpe, Oakham
A council-owned office space is getting new boilers in time for winter.
The King Centre in Barleythorpe, Oakham provides 12,000sq ft of office space for 32 businesses.
Members of Rutland County Council’s cabinet heard from Coun Andrew Johnson (Lib Dem), who said: “Cabinet is being asked to approve funding of up to £87,000 for the replacement of the boilers and ancillary heating and ventilation systems at The King Centre in Oakham, which urgently needs attention to restore it to a condition where it works.”
Leader of the council, Coun Gale Waller (Lib Dem) added: “I think this is a quite straight-forward decision.
“We have tenants at The King Centre – we cannot expect our tenants to go through the winter cold, and without hot water.
“Nor would they expect to be in that situation, to be fair.”
The King Centre was built in 1977, and bought by the council in 2010, with the current boilers installed in 2009.
They have had regular and persistent faults and breakdowns despite the council carrying out regular servicing and maintenance, but this has resulted in periods when heating and hot water are not available affecting occupiers and causing reputational damage to the council.
Repair costs of £25,000 have been incurred for the boiler and plant room since 2018, with £11,500 being spent on the boilers alone.
Both boilers have been assessed as beyond economic repair due to their age.
Members unanimously voted to approve the funding of up to £87,000 for the boiler replacement project.