Council HQ remains shut due to legionella bacteria

A sign at the main entrance to County Hall, in Worcester, advised staff the building was closed on Friday

A council headquarters in Worcestershire remains closed to staff after legionella bacteria was found in parts of the water system.

The discovery of bacteria in sampling results at County Hall offices, Worcester, was shared with officers on Thursday 20 June.

The building was closed until further notice as a "precautionary step," Worcestershire County Council said.

Legionella is a type of bacteria that causes Legionnaires' disease, a potentially serious lung infection.

The impact on council services was "minimal" and the registration service based at County Hall could be kept open as control measures had been put in place, the local authority said.

Staff at County Hall have been told to work from home or at an alternative venue

"On detection [of legionella], advice was sought from specialists, and the building was closed with immediate effect," said Paul Robinson, the council's chief executive.

"Since the guidelines around Raac changed in autumn last year, we have adopted an immediate, precautionary approach."

He said the council had prioritised the safety of staff and the public, as well as ensuring services were unaffected.

A meeting of the workforce is due to be held on Wednesday, to update staff on the situation at the Spetchley Road building.