Pressure from local Liberal Democrat councillors has forced a delay to controversial proposals to convert the former St James St library building in High St into a drug treatment centre.

Lib Dem councillors have now been informed that the report containing the proposal — due to go before the Council’s Cabinet at the end of June — has now been withdrawn from the agenda.  It is unclear at this stage when, and in what form, the report will return to Cabinet.

The Liberal Democrats opposition to the location of the DAT (Drug Action Team) centre mirrors protests from local residents, who have expressed their concerns about the planned conversion of the building.  Local Lib Dem leader Cllr John Macklin recently reaffirmed his group’s opposition to the plans, noting that whilst a drug treatment centre was needed in the local area, the planned conversion of the former library building was “inappropriate”.

As we reported earlier, High St Liberal Democrats have called on local Labour councillor Liaquat Ali to reaffirm his opposition to the proposal after he spoke out against it in a recent Community Council meeting.  In an open letter to the Labour High St member, local Lib Dem councillors James O’Rourke and Johar Khan called on Cllr Ali to “honour his commitment to the residents of High St ward by voting against the proposal”. Cllr Ali has since been appointed by Labour as a member of the Council Cabinet, and his continued opposition — coupled with ‘no’ votes from the Liberal Democrats — would see Cabinet split 50/50 on the proposal.

Cllr James O’Rourke said:

“I hope that the delaying of this report will enable those behind the proposal to go away and reconsider plans for the location of the Drug Action Team centre.

“Local residents have made their views on these plans very clear, and I am pleased that our pressure on this issue appears to have forced a rethink.  A drug treatment centre is an important and necessary service for our area, but it must be in a location appropriate for both service users and local residents.”

“This delay will hopefully give Liaquat Ali an opportunity to confirm his opposition to his colleagues plans and encourage those behind them to find a solution that better suits local needs”.