Council set to sign off closure of headquarters

Staff at the site in Sandbach would be relocated to Crewe and Macclesfield

Cheshire East Council is set to sign off plans to close its headquarters.

Councillors will vote next week on proposals to close Westfields in Sandbach, with staff to be relocated to Crewe and Macclesfield.

The council approved plans to reduce the number of buildings it has earlier this year in its budget, to reduce costs and because more staff are working from home.

Plans for the future of the site would be considered if the site’s closure is approved.

Westfields opened in 2008 as the headquarters of the then-Congleton Borough Council, before the formation of Cheshire East Council in 2009.

A report said it would cost £2.2m to relocate from Westfields and for refurbishment works at Delamere House in Crewe.

Delamere House would become the authority’s registered address following the closure of Westfields.

The building has been the council headquarters since it was formed in 2009

A survey found 47% of staff who responded supported the closure of Westfields while 35% opposed it.

More than half of those based at Westfields who responded were against its closure.

Council officers said the site was large and in a good location, “so presents many options to release funding”.

If the committee votes to close the site, the council would look at plans for its future.

These could include selling the building, leasing it or re-purposing.

The plans will be discussed by Cheshire East’s corporate policy committee on 30 November.