Letter: Millmead – the Dead Centre of Guildford

Published on: 10 Jun, 2022
Updated on: 10 Jun, 2022

Council offices, Millmead

From: Jenny Grove

Yesterday I had reason to visit Guildford Borough Council’s offices in Millmead, a hive of activity and helpfulness and an apparently thriving hub of our Local Government. I jest of course.

The place is virtually empty: one person on reception deals with a small but growing queue and the whole building feels like the dead centre of Guildford.

Any people actually working there are hidden away, and these apparently number only 30 to 40 per cent of staff at any one time. Surrey Police fled the building some years ago and the public is faced with an almost impenetrable environment of security cards and closed doors.

I was quite shocked at “the public face” of Guildford Borough Council being presented, particularly after all we have been through with Covid. It really is a disgrace for our local government offices to offer us such a lack of public well-being, they seem almost hostile.

Perhaps councillors and GBC executives should discuss the future of the council and its relationship with the public? They are certainly not doing anything to enhance it down at Millmead.

See: Cllr John Redpath on the Problems with GBC’s Customer Service