Hertfordshire County Council looks at plans to move staff out of county hall

A council has drawn-up plans to relocate staff from its county hall headquarters in a move that could save £3m a year .

As part of the plan, Hertfordshire County Council staff could start moving from Hertford to the authority's Stevenage office campus from September.

A small part of County Hall would remain in use, as a "democratic and civic hub", a report said.

The final decision is due to be made on 10 July.

According to the proposals, which will be considered by a meeting of the council's resources and performance cabinet panel next week, council staff are working at its Hertford headquarters less often, as part of a post-pandemic move to hybrid working.

It is reported that in a typical day 18% of County Hall is occupied, the equivalent to four out of five desks standing empty, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Under 15 miles away in Stevenage,  53% of the council's Farnham House is typically being used.

'Magnetic workplace'

Some staff had pointed to a decline in the office environment, the report said, and it would also cost an estimated £48m to redesign County Hall to meet the needs of "new ways of working".

The plans said a move to Stevenage would also create "a thriving and magnetic workplace".

If agreed, officers will look at "future options" for the remainder of the County Hall site and work on a marketing strategy.

A council spokesman said its proposal would "enable us to maintain excellent council services in the most efficient and cost-effective way".

"We are committed to retaining the historic frontage of County Hall and the council chamber which will remain the democratic centre of Hertfordshire in the long-term," he said.

"Discussions with our staff, stakeholders and unions have taken place, and will continue ahead of the proposal being considered by the council's cabinet."

The proposals are the latest phase of the council's Our Workplaces programme which has looked at occupancy and working conditions, costs and sustainability.

It had been looking at reducing building costs before the Covid-19 pandemic but the experiences of remote working from March 2020 sped up the process. It was looking at selling part of its headquarters in January 2021.

The final decision will be made by the council's cabinet.