A BUILDING haemorrhaging millions of pounds in taxpayers' money despite never being used could soon be occupied for the first time.

The premises, originally intended as a regional fire control centre, have already cost around £20 million, with the bill escalating by £1.9 million a year.

Even if an occupier finally moves into the 'white elephant' on Taunton's Blackbrook Business Park, the costs will continue to mount, probably reaching £40 million by 2028, when the contract expires.

The Department for Communities and Local Government says it has made "significant progress" in attracting someone to take the building off its hands.

If a deal goes through, it could involve a hefty sweetener, lengthy rent-free period and possible huge rent subsidy afterwards.

The centre - one of nine nationwide - was meant to employ 100 staff to field 999 fire calls from seven South West brigades from 2009, but the scheme was scrapped as unworkable by the Coalition Government in 2010.

The ongoing monthly bill consists of £137,000 rent and costs for security and maintaining equipment.

Tim Slattery previously pushed for the building to be converted into a new site for Halcon Primary School, where he was a governor.

Mr Slattery this week said: "I'm appalled at the vast sums of taxpayers' money that continue to be powered into that facility.

"Nobody got sacked, nobody was held to account and misuse of scarce public money continues to this day."

Issues he sited included.

  • computers unable to handle house numbers above 99.
  • mapping systems using French spellings.
  • £6,000 coffee machines and £4,000 sofas.

Somerset County Gazette:

Taunton Deane MP Rebecca Pow said: "It's an absurd waste of taxpayers' money and unacceptable waste of valuable business premises.

"I've urged the Minister to re-examine this case and increase all efforts to find a suitable occupier.

"I'm hopeful the department will listen to my concerns and a tenant will be found shortly."

Dia Chakravarty, political director at the TaxPayers' Alliance, said the waste of taxpayers' money is "simply unacceptable".

She added: "The authorities should have dealt with the building years ago instead of continuing to impose such a huge burden on hard-pressed families through its maintenance.

"This scale of waste is particularly difficult to stomach at a time when necessary savings are having to be made and firefighters and their colleagues are facing pay freezes or worse."

A Department for Communities and Local Government spokeswoman said: “We are in active discussions and have made significant progress with prospective occupants for the Taunton fire control centre.”

Previous attempts to attract occupants, including Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service, all came to nothing.

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