VIDEO footage has revealed the extent of the devastation caused by an arson attack on a council headquarters.

It was released yesterday, three weeks after the blaze at the South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Council offices in Crowmarsh Gifford.

The burnt-out interior of the offices is revealed in the video released by the councils.

SODC leader John Cotton paid tribute to the hard work of staff since the fire saying it was like “Blitz spirit”.

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He added: “The fact that we are up and running so soon is a result of good business continuity planning, mixed with some ingenuity and improvisation.

Oxford Mail:

SODC leaders Matthew Barber (left) and John Cotton (right)

“As much as anything else it’s down to some serious hard work from our staff who have pulled together and risen to the challenge brilliantly.

“The way staff have rallied round is like the Blitz spirit and working conditions for staff are still far from ideal – some people have got their desks in corridors.

“They are doing their best in difficult conditions to make sure the public get the services they need.

“I’m very happy that the majority of our residents will barely have noticed a blip in the services we’re providing.”

About 400 staff from both councils worked at the building near Wallingford and about two thirds are now at Abbey House in Abingdon, with the remainder working from home, at the Cornerstone Arts Centre in Didcot, or at The Beacon in Wantage.

The councils have been looking for a new temporary home and Milton Park is a likely option, and they’re hoping to appoint an agent to negotiate a deal.

They said most services are nearly back to “business as usual”, although there is a fortnight’s delay in deciding existing planning applications.

Mr Cotton said that negotiations were continuing regarding a new temporary base for staff, where they could remain for two or three years while the SODC HQ is either rebuilt or demolished.

The council’s insurers are now assessing the damage to the £10 million building and no decision has been taken on whether to demolish or rebuild it.

Vale council leader Matthew Barber added: “Thankfully we’ve managed to keep any disruption to a minimum.”

Earlier this week it emerged that the SODC HQ was not fitted with a sprinkler system, and Oxfordshire chief fire officer Dave Etheridge said sprinklers would have reduced the damage caused by the blaze.

The council offices in Crowmarsh Gifford were built in the 1970s and SODC joined with the Vale council in 2006.

On January 15 a funeral parlour near the council office and a thatched cottage at Rokemarsh near Benson were also set alight.

*Andrew Main, 47, of Rokemarsh, near Benson, faces two counts of arson with intent to endanger life and two counts of arson reckless as to whether life was in danger and is expected to appear at Oxford Crown Court on April 10.

To watch the video go to http://bit.ly/1KuCtvu


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