Warwickshire Council to move staff and close buildings

Plans have been approved to reduce the number of buildings a Warwickshire Council uses - a move which officials claim will help it save up to £4.4m.

The county council's Conservative-controlled cabinet has passed a scheme to reduce its number of buildings in Warwick from 12 to five.

The plan represents a 30% reduction in the council's total property portfolio.

The council has declined to say how much the relocation of staff, equipment and services would cost.

A spokesman said the moves needed to be made by 2014.

Assets portfolio holder Colin Hayfield said it meant staff would have to share workspace, administration and IT functions.

In future, council business will be concentrated in five buildings in Market Square, Barrack Street, Ansell Way, Wedgnock Lane and in Montague Road.

Warwick Library will be relocated to the ground floor of Shire Hall next to the Post Office.

Warwickshire Direct council services and the registration service for births, deaths and marriages will be moved from a building leased in Leamington Spa.

The properties the council is vacating are a mixture of freehold and leasehold.

The authority has said it needs to cut £33m and may have to lose up to 2,000 employees to meet that target.