Council HQ to close early to save on heating costs

The Shirehall offices had been due to close by the end of the year

Staff are to work from home as a council closes its headquarters sooner than planned to save on heating bills.

Shropshire Council had previously said it would move out of the1960s-built Shirehall in Shrewsbury by the end of the year, but Conservative leader Lezley Picton told councillors that had been "accelerated".

"These urgent steps reflect the need for action now to reduce our spend in year and these measures alone will save around £100,000 this winter through lower heating, lighting and cleaning costs," she said.

Unison said the decision to move staff out on 1 November was "alarming" and raised significant concerns regarding the financial stability of the council.

The council is seeking £62.5m of savings this financial year to close a funding gap and Picton said earlier this month it had come "unbelievably close" to effectively declaring itself bankrupt.

Leaving Shirehall and moving staff into the Guildhall in Frankwell, would save up to £600,000 per year, the council said.

From 1 November staff would be asked to work from home until space became available at the Guildhall.

Some tenants in the Shirehall building and a small number of services, such as the registrar service, would remain longer.

From 15 November, the council would also close its offices at Cantern Brook and Innage Lane in Bridgnorth and Victoria Road in Oswestry, with staff either being asked to work from home or work from other locations.

"These urgent steps reflect the need for action now to reduce our spend in year," Picton said.

Ash Silverstone, Branch Secretary of UNISON Shropshire, said the announcement had come as a shock to his members and added: "The speed and scale of this decision suggests that the financial situation may be far more perilous than previously disclosed.”

Liberal Democrat group leader Roger Evans described the decision to close early as "panic emergency measures".

He complained the announcement had given staff little notice, especially those who had booked half term off as holiday.