Croydon Council is expected to decide tonight whether to spend more than £3m on furniture for their new headquarters.

The Corporate Services Committee will meet this evening to discuss the proposals, with the opposition Labour group expected to oppose the motion.

The Council has a choice between spending about £2.1m on moving their existing furniture or forking out £3m for brand new equipment.

Work on the £145m glass building, which is situated next door to Taberner House, the council’s current HQ, is due to be finished this summer.

In the report to the Corporate Services Committee, the council says much of the furniture is reaching the end of its shelf life and would need replacing in 2014.

The report also states that moving existing furniture would take 18 weeks to complete, whereas bringing in new furniture would take six weeks.

It also states high levels of recycled material will be used in the new products.

Old furniture and stationary will be offered to schools, charities and community groups within the borough.

Councillor Tony Newman, opposition Labour leader, said the proposals smacked of complacency and his colleagues would reject the idea.

He said some money should be spent on new furniture but existing equipment should be used as well.

He said: “At a time when libraries are being sold off, youth clubs are being closed and vital services are continuing to be threatened this does look like an appalling waste of money.

“With the council offices only being 30 metres apart I would have thought some of the existing furniture would be used. There has got to be a cheaper way of doing it.”

He added: “If we were in the good days I could understand it but when vital services are being cut this just looks like complacency.

“I understand we can’t move everything across but some of that extra £1 million should be saved and could be saved.”