A contractor is set to be appointed to continue the refurbishment of the Royton Town Hall and Library building as the cost of the project soars.

At an Oldham Council cabinet meeting today (Monday) members are being urged to approve the appointment of a contractor and the additional funds required to complete the works as originally intended after “significant inflationary pressures and cost increases” were identified.

A report sent to the cabinet ahead of the meeting calls on members to “note the increased project cost” caused by the “national impact of inflation” on materials and construction services.

The report adds that the “national impact” on the economy “post-Brexit, post-pandemic, and amid ongoing concerns linked to the conflict in Ukraine”, continues to impact the construction industry, meaning market conditions have “radically changed” during the procurement phase of the project.

Members have been warned in the report that if the additional funds are not approved the opportunity to renovate both buildings “for enhanced community use” would be lost.

Oldham Council leader Amanda Chadderton said: “We’ve made brilliant progress and it’s fantastic to see the buildings start to come back to life, celebrating their original design and heritage.

"We're delighted to be able to appoint a contractor and get back on track in the coming weeks after, rightly, considering the increased costs because of national inflation.

“The clock tower’s copper roof has been repaired along with the clock face and we’ve demolished the 1970s rear extensions.

“We want the town hall and library’s original character to shine through and are delighted to be working alongside Royton Local History Society to select the right materials for the building’s era.

“Now we’ve started that work, it is crucial to see it through to maintain and enhance this important part of our history and we look forward to welcoming the community back to a much-improved building, for them to use as soon as work completes.”