At their meeting on Wednesday 13 March 2013, the council’s Cabinet agreed to sell the building to Shropshire Housing Group, and lease part of the building for use by the council.
Edinburgh House is not currently fully occupied and the sale will enable the council to raise much-needed capital, while making significant savings in day-to-day running costs.
The sale will provide Shropshire Housing Group with new office premises for the Meres and Mosses Housing Association, and provide its customers with access to its housing service within Wem, while saving the organisation money by not having to build new premises.
Under the plans, from spring 2014 Meres and Mosses Housing Association will use Edinburgh House for delivering its housing services, with Shropshire Council remaining as a tenant in part of the building and continuing to provide council services from the building.
A Shropshire Council customer service point will remain at Edinburgh House to enable local people to access council services, including revenues, benefits and housing options – and a small number of council staff will continue to be based there.
The council chamber and ante room will continue to be used for wedding and other civil ceremonies, for town and parish council meetings, for meetings of Shropshire Council’s planning committee, for the Coroner, and as a polling station.
West Mercia Police will also continue to use the building as the police station for Wem.
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