Issue - meetings

A report that summarises the current and ongoing defects and condition challenges faced by the Prudential building, with a series of options set out with outline budget costs.

Members of the Governance, Strategy and Resources Scrutiny Board scrutinised a report of the Executive Director of Place/Deputy Chief Executive, which informed Members that Oldham’s town centre benefited from a wealth of important heritage buildings thanks to the town’s rich economic and cultural history. A number of these buildings were now vacant, underutilised and required investment to protect the buildings and to seek to ensure their future sustainability whilst enhancing economic and social value these buildings could bring to the local economy.

The Prudential building had seen considerable deterioration over that last decade, with the Council stepping in to carry out urgent health and safety interventions, together with an asbestos and environmental clean-in mid-2025.The building remained a target for anti-social behaviour in the Town Centre.

The building’s condition remained poor and very bad in some places, with ongoing vulnerability to the elements. Further stabilisation works were required to prevent against further deterioration so that potential options for future use may be appraised.

The submitted report, therefore, summarised the current and ongoing defects and condition challenges faced by the Prudential building, with a series of options set out with outline budget costs, which were subject to a procurement process and receiving final contractor costings. This was presented to inform of the scope of the stabilisation works to be agreed and taken forward to technical design in order to tender suitable contractors.

Resolved:

That the Scrutiny Board would consider the commercially sensitive information contained in the report, at Item 34 on the agenda before making a recommendation.