A joint statement has been issued by North Hertfordshire District Council, charity Hitchin Town Hall Ltd and bankers HTH Finance Ltd following talks this afternoon regarding the district museum entrance in Hitchin.

The announcement comes after talks between the three parties in Hitchin over the purchase by NHDC of 14/15 Brand Street – the effective North Hertfordshire Museum entrance – from Hitchin Town Hall Ltd, the charity originally set up to run the long-running museum project and town hall revamp.

The district council was represented in today’s meeting not by one of its own officers but by David Fergus of the East of England Local Government Association.

The joint statement reads: “All parties met today and confirmed that they are committed to an early and timely resolution to the outstanding issues surrounding the sale of 14/15 Brand Street.

“We have discussed all of the substantive issues and have managed to come to an outline agreement on the great majority.

“There are several issues where there is a suggested way forward that each party needs to consult upon internally to ensure they are acceptable.

“The parties have committed to progress at speed from this point forward in order to secure an early mutually satisfactory conclusion of the related contractual agreement.”

The Comet has received this statement separately from both NHDC and HTH Finance Ltd.

The district council has long been deadlocked with Hitchin Town Hall Ltd and HTH Finance Ltd over the museum entrance. A price of £550,000 was agreed last March, but a deal is yet to go through as they have been unable to agree on conditions.

The museum remains closed, albeit with behind-the-scenes tours offered to the public.