Information on Loughborough

Office moves could save £1 million per year

Posted on 07/11/08

Taxpayers and County Council staff should benefit from plans to modernise offices and save up to 1 million per year.

Leicestershires ruling Cabinet is considering plans to revamp County Hall and have fewer but better located offices across the county.

Brian Page, Cabinet member for resources, said: Council Taxpayers and our staff should benefit from this - by having fewer but better offices, we will save up to 1 million per year.

Excluding service buildings such as libraries and childrens centres, the County Council has 53 administrative offices, which have running costs of 4.9 million per year. A survey has revealed that only 14 are in a good condition and there is a repairs backlog of 6.3 million.

A report to the Councils Cabinet is proposing a three year, 20.7 million investment, to:

Revamp County Hall and a building on its site, to accommodate an extra 430 back office staff currently based in other county offices

Retain and improve 21 offices elsewhere

Provide staff with better working facilities

Clear the maintenance backlog

If approved, the work will start in 2009 and it will take three years to complete all buildings. It will be funded through the sale of the surplus buildings for around 3.8 million, plus borrowing.

The Cabinet will discuss the report at 2.30pm on November 14. A copy of the report is available on www.leics.gov.uk

Background:

The proposed 22 offices are:

County Hall

Mountsorrel Depot

Pennine House, Loughborough

The Point, Mountsorrel

Bridge Park Plaza, Thurmaston

Shepshed Health Centre

New facility shared with Melton Borough Council

New facility shared with Harborough District Council

Cedar Centre, Wigston

Centre for the Deaf, Leicester

Romulus Court, Braunstone

Abington House, Wigston

Bassett Street, Wigston

The Drive, Countesthorpe

66 The Kingsway, Braunstone

Mansion House, Glenfield

Croft Depot

New facility shared with Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council

High Street, Coalville

Touchdown office in Snibston Discovery Park

Community base, Hugglescote

New office, Coalville