Suffolk: Councils On The Move?

25 April 2012, 15:17 | Updated: 25 April 2012, 15:40

Two of our councils could be on the move to save money.

Suffolk County Council staff based in Lowestoft, and Waveney District Council staff who're also based in Lowestoft, are looking at whether they'd save money if they shared offices.

A report presented on Tuesday evening, mapped out broad proposals for a new building to house Waveney District Council and Lowestoft-based Suffolk County Council staff. If the County Council’s Cabinet also approve the report, at their next meeting in May, the Business Case will be developed and put before Waveney’s cross-party Overview and Scrutiny Committee before returning to Cabinet for consideration in September 2012.

An outline proposal document put together by the Council, NPS Property Consultants and construction consultants Willmott Dixon was discussed by the Cabinet committee. The document lays out the basic criteria for any new office complex, a proposed site plan and indicative costs.

Cllr Colin Law, Leader of Waveney District Council said: “I am very pleased that the meeting drew broad cross-party support for the need to assess our accommodation options. It was clearly recognised that our current offices are unsuitable and Members from all parties understand that trying to maintain a number of old, inefficient and failing buildings is the wrong approach. If it is done properly, placing hundreds of staff in a low-cost, energy-efficient building would reduce costs at a stroke and save considerable amounts of public money."

They're waiting for the results of the report to be put together before they make a final decision.