▁the ▁council ▁area ▁separated ▁and ▁formed ▁their ▁own ▁municipality ▁in ▁August ▁ 1 8 6 8 , ▁the ▁council ▁met ▁in ▁a ▁room ▁in ▁Well ington ▁Street , ▁Water lo o , ▁until ▁they ▁commission ed ▁the ▁new ▁Town ▁Hall ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 0 . ▁In ▁ 1 8 8 0 ▁the ▁council ▁le ased ▁a ▁block ▁of ▁land ▁in ▁Elizabeth ▁Street ▁for ▁the ▁town ▁hall , ▁and ▁was ▁obtained ▁from ▁the ▁Cooper ▁family ▁at ▁a ▁r ental ▁of ▁£ 1 0 ▁per ▁an num . ▁The ▁council ▁continued ▁to ▁pay ▁this ▁r ental ▁until ▁ 1 9 1 2 , ▁when ▁Sir ▁William ▁Cooper , ▁ 3 rd ▁Baron et , ▁gave ▁the ▁council ▁the ▁free hold ▁title ▁to ▁the ▁land . ▁ ▁The ▁Town ▁Hall ▁was ▁commission ed ▁to ▁a ▁Victor ian - Ital ian ate ▁with ▁Second ▁Empire ▁influ ences ▁design ▁by ▁Arch itect ▁Edward ▁Hugh es , ▁with ▁construction ▁super vised ▁by ▁Am bro se ▁Thor nt on ▁J nr ▁and ▁John ▁S med ley , ▁of ▁the ▁firm ▁Th orn ley ▁& ▁S med ley . ▁However ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁the ▁Hall , ▁undert aken ▁by ▁build ers ▁Bret n all ▁& ▁P oul ton , ▁went ▁through ▁several ▁cost ▁blow - outs , ▁del ays ▁and ▁en larg ements , ▁with ▁a ▁final ▁cost ▁of ▁£ 3 5 0 0 ▁( from ▁an ▁original ▁cost ▁of ▁£ 2 6 0 0 ) ▁with ▁a ▁£ 3 7 0 ▁annual ▁cost ▁in ▁interest ▁pay ments .