A £14,000 lift could be installed in a historic building to prevent councillors breaking disability discrimination laws.

Last week Knutsford’s new mayor, Clr Tony Want, revealed his authority had received initial quotes for the work.

On Thursday he told the Guardian that the proposals could end years of uncertainty about the first floor chamber in Toft Road.

“It would be good to get back there, the sooner the better really,” he said.

“It’s a bit undignified holding the meetings in the foyer of a cinema.”

Clr Want first revealed the plans to install a lift at Knutsford Town Council’s annual mayor making ceremony last week.

The facility could cost £14,000 and other work to prepare the building may take the bill up to £20,000.

On Thursday Clr Want told the Guardian that the proposals were progressing.

“We’re starting to move forward,” he said.

“We have to now get further quotes for the ancillary works.”

By law Knutsford Town Council now has to make it easier for disabled people to access its meetings.

About four years ago the sessions were moved to the Civic Centre to ensure the authority complied with the Disability Discrimination Act.

But councillors complained, saying the rooms were poorly lit and noisy.

After that members risked breaking the disability discrimination laws by returning to the Council Offices’ chamber.

However, after concerns were raised, they moved the meetings to the Jubilee Hall in Stanley Road.

Now members are hoping the plan to return to the Council Offices will succeed.

The town council is expected to ask Cheshire East Council, the borough authority that owns the building, to help fund the project.

The lift would replace the building’s redundant chimneybreast.

It would then take visitors from inside the current Tourist Information Office directly to the chamber upstairs.

Clr Want said members would have to rearrange the furniture to accommodate the changes.

“We could possibly turn the whole layout of the chamber around,” he said.

Knutsford Town Council holds monthly meetings to discuss issues such as planning, finances and the environment.

Few residents attend the sessions.

But some councillors argued that more people would turn up if they could access the first floor chamber.