Community groups in Uttlesford are to be given the chance to rent space under one roof in the empty Dunmow council offices

The old Uttlesford District Council offices have been standing vacant for over a year since the former Conservative administration decided to centralise to Saffron Walden and put them up for commercial rent.

Tenants have not been found, however, and both the Uttlesford Council for Voluntary Service and the five Dunmow district councillors have for some time been championing the cause of bringing in voluntary organisations

Now the Uttlesford Liberal Democrat group have pledged, in a unanimous decision, to push the plans through.

Dunmow Liberal Democrat Cllr John Murphy said: "We have made a positive decision that we are actually going to do it no matter what."

The Lib Dems currently hold 31 of the 44 seats on the district council and Cllr Murphy said the group's decision means the plan is going to happen although it is formally only in an exploratory stage.

Published Friday January 2, 2004

Brought to you by the Essex Chronicle