AFTER recent speculation that Monmouthshire County Council could be relocating to Monmouth, the local authority has confirmed that it is one of several possibilities that are being considered after deciding "in principle" to move.

According to David Cummings, chairman of Monmouth and District Chamber of Trade and Commerce, Monmouth-shire County Council is due to vacate its Cwmbran offices by 2012 at the latest, after county hall was diagnosed with 'concrete cancer'.

And a spokesman replied last week: "The council is considering its options following the 'in principle' decision to relocate away from county hall.

"As part of that deliberation a survey of potential alternative sites is being carried out."

Central Monmouth-shire area manager Jenny Lewis added: "I know that Monmouth is one of the sites that have been looked at.

"But the new headquarters wouldn't be like Cwmbran. Instead, there will be buildings across Monmouthshire, with the main centre the venue for committee meetings, council meetings and members' offices."

Mr Cummings initially wrote to the county council's head of asset management Deborah Hill-Howells, saying: "We have been told by one source that there is a six month lobbying window for the towns of the county to approach the county council if they wish to be considered as a location for the new county offices.

"If there is the possibility that new county council offices may be required for all, or part, of the staff of Monmouthshire County Council, then we would like to begin the process of lobbying to have them located in Monmouth."