Stoke-on-Trent City Council 'problem concrete' HQ is fit for purpose

A council which said there were "serious" problems with its new headquarters has passed it fit for purpose.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council was due to move into its new Smithfield headquarters in May but the then Labour leader said there were problems with the concrete slab floor.

The council announced the problems had now been "investigated fully".

However, it said not all of its staff will move into the offices, in Hanley.

The council announced the move from its civic centre in Stoke-upon-Trent to the new building in 2012.

It said it aimed to promote Hanley as Stoke's "city centre".

Initially, council leader Dave Conway said there was a difference of opinion between developers and the council about the severity of the problem with the floor.

The developers said the problem was cosmetic.

Mr Conway said: "After stringent independent tests and further consultation with the top concrete experts in the world, I can now announce the Smithfield buildings have been passed as fit for purpose."

Mr Conway, of the City Independents, said the coalition council's pre-election promise had said staff from the civic centre would not move into the Smithfield buildings.

"We recognise the need to improve the city centre in Hanley, but Stoke-on-Trent is a city of six towns and our aim is to make sure all of those towns benefit," he said.

He said staff from other council properties in the city would move into one of the two buildings completed for the Smithfield development by the end of 2015.

The remaining building could be offered for rent to the private sector, Mr Conway said. An announcement will be made in October.

The council did not comment on whether the rest of the £45m Smithfield development, which was due to include several developments, will continue as planned.