The foundation stone for the offices was laid on 24 June 1937 and the building opened in 1938 to serve the then Wetherby Rural District Council.
Entering the building you immediately face a grand stairway with bespoke brass handrails reflecting the Art Deco architecture of the period, with sinuous lines and share angles.
At the head of the stairs the arched window features the Wetherby coat of arms set in stained glass plus several floral flourishes.
On the front of the upper floor is the Council Chamber with all its original oak furnishings. This room remains in the original the Art Deco style, notably the mouldings around the arch and the light fittings.
In 1974 the Wetherby Rural District Council area was subsumed, chiefly into Leeds City Council. The building then mostly fell into disuse and administration was moved elsewhere. For a time Leeds City Council used offices in the adjoining later extension. The Leeds City Council “One Stop Shop” was also located in the later extension for a period before moving into Wetherby Library.
Some rooms in the 1938 building are still in use by Tempo FM Local Radio, Wetherby in Support of the Elderly (WiSE) and City Councillors.
The Civic Society holds Executive Committee meetings and their Summer Talk in the rooms and very occasionally the building is opened to the public as part of the national Heritage Open Days.
