MORE than £3m has been signed off by Barnsley Council to ‘future-proof’ a number of buildings across the borough.

At Wednesday’s cabinet meeting, councillors discussed spending the money on four schemes – car park lighting at Gateway Plaza, heating at Westgate Plaza, drainage at Elsecar Heritage Centre and work at the Penistone One Public Estate.

A total of £285,000 has been earmarked to be spent at Gateway Plaza which would result in an annual efficiency of £48,000.

More than half a million pounds is also to be spent at Westgate Plaza in the town centre – a council building where its employees work.

The scheme would overhaul the venue’s heating system and generate savings of £74,000 each year.

Work totalling £1m is also set to be spent on a new drainage system at Elsecar Heritage Centre, with savings of around £90,000 a year.

The Penistone One Public Estate comprises four separate units – the library, town hall, family centre and IKIC Centre.

Over the last 18 months thorough consultation has taken place with stakeholders to consider retaining, divesting, enhancement and alternative options for each venue.

More than £1.5m has subsequently been set aside to refurbish the library to ensure that up to seven different organisations can work from that single property.