Negotiations for a potential sale of the Awakeri War Memorial Hall have ceased with no agreement reached.

A report on divestment options for the hall, which will be considered by the Whakatāne District Council on Thursday, 17 December 2015, confirms that sale and purchase negotiations for the property were unsuccessful. However, the likelihood that significant investment would be required to address the hall’s structural and services issues has seen a recommendation that the sale of the property be “agreed in principle” retained. If adopted, a further report setting out divestment issues and options would be brought back to the Council in early 2016.

Before deciding on that process, the Council will hear submissions from the Awakeri War Memorial Hall Committee, the Awakeri Scouts Group and hall users and receive a petition from the Awakeri community.