The council building was evacuated in June after the discovery of legionella in the building, but parts of the structure had been sealed off since September 2023, when reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) was found.
A cabinet report in July 2024 said exploratory work would be carried out to inspect the building and understand the costs associated with repairs.
Once the work was completed, it was discovered that further repair works would exceed the £1.5 million that had been earmarked to bring the building back to full use.
A draft budget for 2025/26 was revealed ahead of the county council’s cabinet meeting on Thursday (January 16) recommended that £495 million would be required by the council for the next 12 months.
However, £33 million gap in financing was found in the councils plans for 2025/26.
The council missed out on £1.8 million “mainly due to lost income from renting out our surplus office space across the County Hall campus.”
Now, the council is looking into potential ways of generating income to fill the gaps found in financing, which includes the sale of County Hall.
The report stated: “Given the council’s financial position attention will now focus on future options for the building and site which includes the value of potential capital receipt.”
The report also stated that the county council will continue to operate from their temporary headquarters at Wildwood, just a few hundred metres from their vacant offices.