Authority to cut back on its offices

CORNWALL Council staff will not be forced to choose whether to work at home or in the office as the authority looks to cut the number of buildings it operates.

The council is currently considering proposals to radically reduce the number of offices and desk space it has to cut costs and adapt to new ways of working.

In addition the council is aiming to release land that it owns which could be used to tackle other priorities such as the housing crisis.

New plans have revealed that the council will aim to have three main office buildings in Truro, Bodmin and Camborne and then smaller hubs elsewhere.

It would mean that large council centres – such as the former Restormel Borough Council offices in St Austell – could be sold off and redeveloped for housing.

The council’s customer and support services overview and scrutiny committee considered a report on the estate transformation proposals when it met this week. Earlier proposals had considered building new offices in some towns but these have now been scaled back and amended so that the council can accelerate the programme.

With the Covid pandemic showing the council that staff can work from home it has meant they are able to reduce the amount of office space required.

Ben Rom, service director for operations and change, explained the reasons for the plans highlighting “the unprecedented financial pressure that the organisation is under”.

He also said there was a need to address the priorities of the administration such as the housing crisis.

“Both of these are benefited by accelerating our programme here. We could move to three main office buildings in the county – Chy Trevail in Bodmin, Dolcoath Avenue in Camborne and New County Hall in Truro – while keeping and having integrated service hubs across the county.”

Mr Rom said office facilities would be smaller than previously considered with staff expected to work an average of three days a week at home, or somewhere other than a council office.