TOWN councillors say they will refuse to move from their chamber if they do not get their way over its relocation.

Earlier this month Weymouth and Portland Borough Council voted to move Portland Town Council's chamber to the basement of its historic building in Fortuneswell and hand over the rest of the building to a property developer.

But, although the borough council owns the building, town councillors say they will not move unless they get what they want from the deal.

Town mayor, Councillor Tim Munro, said: "If we don't get exactly what we want we aren't moving.

"We want our new chamber to be no cost at all to this council and we are looking for a new council chamber that is fit for purpose as well as a windfall from the development."

Coun Munro met with the Weymouth and Portland Borough Council last week to outline his council's demands.

He said: "In some ways it is good what the borough has got planned for this site, maximising the use of the building like this.

"And without a huge investment we couldn't stay on the existing floor of the building anyway as it is not compliant with disability discrimination law."

But he said town councillors want their new lower ground floor premises to include a clerk's office, meeting room, reception area and chamber that must comfortably accommodate 14 town councillors and up to 25 members of public.

Councillors do not yet know how much Portland Town Council's building - within a Conservation Area - is worth and how much could be handed over by potential developers.

"How much Weymouth and Portland Borough Council gets for it will dictate how much windfall our town council gets from it," Coun Munro added.

Earlier this month members of Weymouth and Portland Borough Council's planning committee reluctantly passed plans for Portland Town Council's offices to be converted into eight flats, saying the building was like something from the Third Reich and should be demolished.

But Portland Town Council members say the building is attractive so could end up becoming luxurious accommodation and not the affordable housing desperately needed in the area.