Last October, County Councillors chose their preferred bidder, and rejected the Community Bid, for the former Library because of his unconditional offer and willingness to complete the sale within 30 days. There has been no news since the  County issued their 15 October 2024 press release "Former Mill Road Library set for bright artistic future". 

To find out more, I submitted a Freedom of Information request (no 5082). The  County's response (22 April) shows that over 7 months on, the sale has STILL not yet been completed.  WHY NOT?

The full text of the FOI request was "Please provide details of the sale price, costs incurred in the sale, and net receipt to public funds from the sale of the former Mill Road Library to Daniel Ross, together with details of any conditions on the sale or other safeguards which have been provided to ensure public involvement in and access to the former Library. 

The County's response continues to treat the sale only as a commercial matter, disregarding the local community: "We are unable to provide the information requested as the sale of mill road library has not yet concluded  and we are still working toward contract exchange, as such the information requested remains confidential until the sale is complete. Please see Section 43 FOIA below." .  

Key information about the sale price, and what if any financial return will be achieved from the disposal of the former Library, is still being hidden under a cloak of claimed "commercial confidentiality".   The County's response doesn't even address the questions in relation to conditions on the sale or other safeguards for the public interest.