Council taxpayers will be paying for gleaming new offices, now nearing completion, for the next 40 years, its’s been revealed.

There will be an annual rental of almost one and a half million pounds – for a start.

The new headquarters for Conwy County Borough Council (CCBC), on the site of an original town hall at Colwyn Bay, is costing financial backers £38.5 million – but taxpayers will have to find at least £58 million in rent.

Freedom of Information replies have disclosed the payment plan for the giant new building, where 700 staff will be employed.

It’s believed that the sheer number of people working there will be a massive boom to the regeneration of Colwyn Bay, but the offices are not without their critics.

Chloe Westley, campaign manager of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said : “Council tax is one of the biggest outgoings for any household, particularly at a time when the cost of living is so high. Taxpayers want to see their hard earned money spent on essential services not shiny new offices for council bureaucrats.”

According to the replies the annual rental at the start will be £1,450,914, reviewed each year to the retail price index but with limits set.

The cost of building and fitting out Coed Pella, including a new car park at the town’s Parc Eirias, comes to £31,704,000, funded by M&G.

However when other fees and the contractor’s profit of £3.5 million are added the total comes to £38,508,000.

Any repair bill most be met by the tenant, not the landlord, and there is no break clause in the lease.

After 40 years the council have an option to buy the building for £1.

The council have answered local rumours that some staff will have to work from home. The FOI reply states : “There is no shortage of space within Coed Pella and therefore staff should not be required to work from home unless they have specifically been asked to do so and have the agreement of their line manager. Staff are equipped to work from any council building, of which Coed Pella is just one as well as other remote locations of which home is an option.”

It adds : “The majority of employees who will be located at Coed Pella work to the authority’s flexi time policy and will be able to access the building between 7am and 7pm.”

In a statement Conwy Council said : “The new offices in Colwyn Bay are considered to be affordable and contribute to the Council’s wider modernisation programme to improve facilities for the public and for the staff providing services. The new offices also form part of a wider regeneration programme in Colwyn Bay, and we have already seen benefits in the local and wider economy.

“The Council will be renting the fully fitted BREEAM Excellent offices on a 40-year lease; the terms of the lease allow the Council to buy the building for £1 at the end.” (BREEAM is an internationally recognised certification and assessment feature for new projects)

“The offices will be let to the Council at a rental of £14.85 per sq ft. Rents on modern offices in town are from £10 to £12 sq ft for a shell, so a rent of £14.85 sq ft. for this fully fitted and furnished development is an appropriate level.”

Janet Finch-Saunders, Tory Assembly Member for Aberconwy, said she was “astounded” the council will have to meet and repair bills.

She said: “I will raise this with the Welsh Government. There needs to be far more thought for our hard-working taxpayers and pensioners.

“Whilst the new council offices will provide a more modern and comfortable workplace for some staff who find themselves working out of badly maintained or cramped offices, this must be weighed against the eye watering ever escalating costs.

“I shall continue to monitor and scrutinise our local authority on behalf of my residents as regards any further costs associated with this iconic council building.”