First non-London ministerial HQ opens in Wolverhampton

The first ministerial base outside of London will be in this Wolverhampton building

The first government offices outside London to have a regular ministerial presence have opened in Wolverhampton.

By April 2022, they will be a second headquarters for up to 250 staff from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

The government said it was part of a plan to move 22,000 Civil Service jobs out of Westminster.

Communities secretary Robert Jenrick, who grew up in the West Midlands, will be among those to work in the building.

Mr Jenrick said the offices would "bring hundreds of exciting jobs to the city and drive growth across the region".

Mr Jenrick said the jobs move would allow 'people with different experiences and ideas into the Civil Service'

Mr Jenrick, MP for the East Midlands constituency of Newark, added the move would allow "people with different experiences and ideas into the Civil Service".

He said: "Local voices are vital to influence the creation and delivery of government policy.

"By moving hundreds of roles out of Westminster we are providing a unique opportunity to develop and expand the UK Civil Service by bringing decision-making into the regions we serve."

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Earlier this year, Mr Jenrick said the government planned to create at least 500 Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government jobs in the area by 2025.

At the time he said the move was "backing our great, smaller cities, some of which have been neglected for too long".