Sale agreed for former Worthing children and family centre

A decision notice relating to 40 Crescent Road, Worthing, which used to house the Footprints Children & Family Centre – formerly South Lodge – was published on Wednesday (January 12).

The notice said an offer had been received and authority had been delegated to the council’s property and law directors to close the deal.

The building had been listed for sale at £475,000.

A report to Jeremy Hunt, cabinet member for finance & property, said Footprints had been moved to Worthing Library and the building declared surplus to requirements in August 2020.

Staff were relocated and the building was vacated last month.

The sale of the building aligns with the council’s Asset Management Policy & Strategy, which was adopted in 2018.

The council owns over 950 establishments and landholdings in excess of 3,000 separate buildings, with a total asset value of £1.4 billion.

But, with budgets tight and the need to save money always high on the ‘to do’ list, selling sites which are no longer required is a way of unlocking extra cash to be spent elsewhere.