The Director of Law, HR and Asset Management reported upon the Phase 2 proposals of the Office Rationalisation Project. Recent activity included Westminster House being vacated and prepared for sale; discussion in relation to the relocation of staff from the Old Courthouse building; the relocation of staff based at Willowtree to the former Pensby Park Primary School; and, the baseline information of building occupancy being updated to reflect the position following the Voluntary Severance/Early Voluntary Retirement exercise.

Phase 2 proposals included the identification of the following buildings as options for closure once staff and services had been relocated into suitable alternative accommodation –

·  Liscard Municipal Offices

·  Bebington Town Hall

·  Bebington Town Hall Annexe

The Director also presented information on the occupancy figures and staff space per person for all council buildings.

Responding to comments from Members the Director informed the Committee that Wirral Partnership Homes was still very much interested in acquiring Westminster House and he fully expected it to be sold in the near future. A report would be considered by Cabinet at its next meeting on 21 July. He would provide further details if the Committee were to go into exempt session.

He commented that 350 office based staff had left the Council over the last 6 months and this would need to be factored into a revised business case. Currently the Council was occupying twice the amount of office space that it needed. A report would be going to Cabinet in September to seek approval for a way forward in terms of office rationalisation and he assured the Committee that they would be provided with an update in September.

The Chair commented that he would be anxious to see the report to Cabinet in September and consider its contents at the earliest opportunity and a future list of Council buildings should include a breakdown of staff by department in each. He also suggested that a seminar for Members on office accommodation would be worthwhile.

Resolved – That the report be noted and the Committee looks forward to receiving a report in September.