Eleventh hour bid for library building up for auction

The building is due to be auctioned off in the coming weeks at a guide price of £100,000, with an online auction currently taking place.

But Atherton man John Barker has submitted an offer for the building, although the details of his bid are currently unknown.

Local councillor, Coun Stuart Gerrard has urged Wigan Council to consider his offer and speak to Mr Barker.

Coun Gerrard said: “They have comfirmed that this week they will contact John and also look at the auction process now that they have a firm offer.

“The council have a duty to the tax payer to get the best amount and outcome they can when they sell public assests.

“The lack of maintenance, failure to make the building watertight and secure has meant the building hs been left to deteriorate.

“The council were willing to send this to auction without a reserve price which to me, shows the disregard they have for assets such as thist.

He added: “After much pressure from ourselves we have ensured that all money raised from the sale of the building will be ring fenced for Atherton.”

CEleventh hour bid for library

buildingoun Gerrard’s calls come after he slammed the council for deciding to carry on with decision-making over the future of the building.

Atherton Community Trust had to withdraw its attempt to take control of the town’s former technical college and library on York Street in April last year.

It said it had been given until May 1 to produce a viable business plan for a community asset transfer (CAT) of the location, but informed the council that would not be possible.

And Coun Gerrard said the process should have been suspended until the community trust could finalise their bid and submit it to the council, especially at a time during the height of the Covid-19 crisis.

But the council said the usual process for a Community Asset Transfer (CAT) takes three months.

Since the start of 2019, the council said it granted five extensions, with the most recent deadline passing in June last year.

A council spokesman said: “We have worked with the community for a long time to explore various options of a CAT and provided numerous opportunities for a sustainable business case to be submitted.

“Following the withdrawal of the CAT application the council took a decision to dispose of the building through auction.”