Media Release

The Far North District Council is to relocate its Kaeo Service Centre and public library to the former Post Office building across the road, following the sale of the service centre building this week.

District Facilities General Manager Alastair Wells said today the council had been advised by the building owner Far North Holdings Ltd (FNHL) that a sale had been negotiated with a vacant possession date of 31 July 2008.

"We have moved quickly to find a new home and have been able to reach an amicable agreement with the Whangaroa Museum & Archives Society which holds the lease on the council-owned old Post Office building,” he said.

"Effectively moving from one council building to another at Kaeo will be a win-win scenario for ratepayers. There will be the same level of service available to the community, the council achieves a reduction in rental costs, the museum society will be able to better utilise its existing lease, and the council owned-company (FNHL) achieves a sale which will release much needed working capital.”

The council had been able to negotiate a good arrangement with the museum society which in the longer term would be positive for both organisations. With minimal further refurbishment the service centre would be able to move straight into the ground floor of the old Post Office.

The service centre relocation would take place on Thursday July 31 with a one day closure on Friday August 1 to enable the move to be completed, ready for resumption of business on Monday August 4.

Mr Wells said there could be a slightly longer delay in moving the library across the road.

"The intention is to move the library to the first floor of the Post Office building and some refurbishment will be needed to accommodate the library's requirements,” he said. “At this stage, we think the library may close on 25 July and re-open from its new premises towards the end of August.

"Library users will be encouraged to take out as many books as they want to see them through this time and library loan issue periods will be extended to ensure that no one receives overdue fines. It will still be possible to drop books back, request books from other libraries or use the library online computer which will be located temporarily in the new service centre," he added.

The move to the Old Post office was seen as being very positive given the potential to increase the relationship between the library and the society's museum and archives facilities.

"We believe the two functions have a great deal in common and that the relationship will work really well. Ideally it would have been nice to have had a longer lead-in period, but given the urgency, the new arrangements are an excellent solution," he said.

"This is going to open up further opportunities for the council and the museum society to work together and the overall winner will be the Whangaroa community," he said

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Page created/updated: 30 June, 2008

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