00:00Hundreds of people in Pudsey have signed an online petition calling for the immediate toll to the potential sale of Pudsey Town Hall.
00:07At time of recording, 1,187 people have signed the Save Pudsey Town Hall petition, as Leed City Council confirmed it is looking at options for the sale of the vacant building.
00:19The petition organisers are calling for a full and transparent community consultation on the building's future and for a serious proposal for community ownership or long-term leasing, ensuring it remains in public hands.
00:33The council say the 19th century building is costing thousands of pounds a year to maintain.
00:38The petition says this is more than just bricks and mortar, but a symbol of civic pride, local heritage and community identity.
00:45Organisers would like to see the creation of a Pudsey Town Council to take on political decision-making in the West Leeds Town, and the Pudsey Town Hall Community Interest Company has been drawing up plans for future use of the building.
01:00Built in 1880, the Robin Lane Building was the headquarters of Pudsey Urban District Council from 1912 to 1974.
01:07Leeds City Council say the decision to explore a possible sale has not been taken lightly, but given their well-documented financial challenges, they say they must continually assess all options for their city-wide portfolio of properties,
01:22with the cost of maintaining the vacant building running into five figures during the last financial year alone.
01:27Petitioners say Pudsey lost its local voice when the borough was absorbed into Leeds in 74, and in a similar way to Otley and Horsforth say they deserve local representation that puts the town's needs first and protects spaces that make Pudsey special.
