Is council 'kicking the can' on Ray Walsh House asbestos problem?

The future of the site remains 'up in the air' more than one and a half years since the building was vacated, and council workers spread across the city.

On Monday, Tamworth Region Council mayor Russell Webb confirmed the council had approached the State government for financial assistance to cover the cost of Stage 2 of the remediation, which is estimated to be $10 million.

Last Wednesday the mayor met with Minister for Lands and Property, Stephen Kamper to plead the council's case.

Cr Webb said the minister "clearly understood" council was facing a multi-million dollar cost.

"When asbestos was discovered in the building, we knew it would not be a quick fix," Cr Webb said.

"Both Council and our community would like to see this resolved sooner rather than later, but we also know we need do it right."

Last year, TRC spent $1 million to remove all non-contaminated materials from the building, with much of the historical furniture placed in storage and some of donated.

More than 200 council employees packed up and relocated to six temporary offices, either rented or council-owned, across the city.

The second stage of the remediation project will involve the removal of the ceiling to strip out all the asbestos-containing material and reinsulate the building.

Mayor Russell Webb said because Ray Walsh House was bought from the state government in the 1990s, and with no disclosure of the asbestos issue, council had taken the position that the State should assist with funding to complete the second stage of works.

Vice President of the Tamworth Regional Residents and Ratepayers Association, David McKinnon, said the situation is a "nightmare" and he's worried it's a case of "kick the messy can down the road".

"It won't be their responsibility, because right from the very word go, it was not handled properly or well," he said.

"Even in the worst-case scenario, they could have done the asbestos removal floor-by-floor.

"There was no clarity, consultation, or information, and for that reason, it has blown up into a great council mistrust."

Mr McKinnon said it's no wonder council is seeking a 36.3 per cent rate rise, with a request now formally submitted to IPART.

"It is about covering some bad decisions the council is making," he said.

"Here we are stressed out about money, and we are approaching it in such a shocking way. It has sat idol for 12 months with nothing happening."

The mayor said there has been no decision yet about the future of Ray Walsh House.

The options include "everything from demolishing the building and rebuilding on the current site to retaining and refurbishing the existing building or selling the building and relocating the Council into new offices at some point in the future," Cr Webb said.

"All of the options being considered will come at a considerable cost and will be fully disclosed in an open council report once these costs are more accurately determined."

The mayor admitted he is disappointed the situation is taking so long to resolve.

"The NSW government is facing their own asbestos issues in Sydney at the moment, so that has put the issue on show," he said.

"Minister Kamper really understood the problem, the timeless nature of this and how it is costing the community money.

"Building costs are going up by the month, so we need to act in a hasty manner."

Mr McKinnon said he's worried council is preparing to demolish the building and sell off the land to developers.

"What has annoyed us ratepayers is that it is an iconic building for the town; it is a classic of its period. It was opened by the Queen and is a large, substantial building that is in good order aside from this minor issue," he said.

"The next council will be the council to make the decision on a lot of this stuff.

"It is going to take some time in regards to what will happen, but when it comes to the decisions of Ray Walsh House, it will be the next council."

Council elections are set down for Saturday, September 14, 2024.