Detailed investigations of the building’s structural integrity started in 2021 and the council then included restoration of the chambers as a major project in its 2025-34 long-term plan.
Cr Lee Vandervis said he questioned the restoration cost and project timeframe, but he had no recollection of the appropriateness of the $14m figure being debated or discussed at the council.
"I have been surprised that we have had little paperwork specifying what the $14m Municipal Chambers restoration is being spent on, but we have been told verbally that significant spending was required, largely due to seismic strengthening of the main tower," he said.
"It appears to me that DCC staff consider the restoration project to be an operational matter that they would rather elected representatives did not concern themselves with."
Council meetings have been held at the Dunedin Public Art Gallery this term and there has been no official word recently about when they might return to the Municipal Chambers.
"As a councillor, I have had little written information on the restoration project or on what the building’s structural assessment has revealed," Cr Vandervis said.
"There was a councillor tour of the building work progress some months ago that I did not attend."
The council’s 2025-34 long-term plan said the building had category 1 heritage status, restoration work was under way and this required specialist trades people using traditional skills and materials.
"Restoration will be conducted without compromising the building’s historical character," the plan said.
A public consultation document said the work would breathe life back into the ageing exterior and preserve the building’s historical significance.
Asked by the Otago Daily Times for more information — such as what work had been done so far and what the $14m might cover — council staff refused to comment.
An update about the Municipal Chambers and Town Hall would come before councillors "in the coming months" and until then "we won’t be making any further comment on the project", a spokesman said.
Asked to reconsider, a spokesman said the council was "not able to comment at this stage", but councillors could be updated later this month or in August.
"We’ll be in a better position to discuss details after that has happened."
Dunedin Mayor Jules Radich said councillors were invited to inspect the roof and walls of the Municipal Chambers some time ago.
"This gave those of us who ventured up the scaffolding a good insight into the large scale of work required and the difficulty of putting a price on it," he said.
Mr Radich said he looked forward to receiving an update.
He wanted to see the Municipal Chambers back in use but had "no expectation of that happening any time soon".
Cr Steve Walker said there had been various updates and on-site visits in the past couple of years.
He quite liked having council meetings in the art gallery.
"It’s brighter, less stuffy and formal, and way less intimidating for members of the public, which has to be a positive for encouraging democratic interaction."
Cr Sophie Barker said the Municipal Chambers was an important heritage building in the heart of the Octagon and it was vital to take care of it.
"It will be good to get a solid idea of the budget required to fix it and how urgent the work is — it’ll be costing a fortune to have the scaffolding and barriers around it," she said.
Cr Barker was part of the councillor tour.
"The challenge will be to see firstly if there are any structural issues," she said.
"I look forward to an update report so we can get a good understanding of the pathway forward and the budget required for repairs."
