Restoration works to begin soon on asbestos-ridden Tamworth Regional Council building Ray Walsh House

Tamworth mayor Russell Webb said council hopes to move everyone out of Ray Walsh House by late September, and relocate customer facing services to council-owned venue 474 Peel Street, near the library.

The Customer Service Centre on the ground floor of Ray Walsh House has remained open to the public since asbestos issues and long-term problems with the structure were revealed in June.

More than 200 staff have been spread across council-owned venues including Parry House, the Lands building and the Depot on Flynn Street, or worked from home.

The council plans to move staff back into Ray Walsh House within three years.

Negotiations are nearing an end for a three-year lease for levels 2, 3 and 4 of the old Northern Daily Leader building, which would house council's directors, general manager and mayor, regional services and communications staff, the mayor said.

READ ALSO:

He said there was strong support from councillors at Tuesday night's closed council meeting to relocate staff to The Leader building at 179 Marius Street.

"There has been 100 per cent support for the relocation, everything we've looked at has been gone over with a fine tooth comb, and they're very affordable locations that we're stepping into," he said.

"We will most likely be out of this building by the end of September, and certainly by early October we will be completely out of this building.

"Then we have to start the process of getting this building intrinsically cleaned."

He said more information about the costs associated with the move would be made available once a lease is signed.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: