Most Essex County Council staff to continue working from home

Despite many staff not returning to the office full-time there would not be a "for sale" sign outside county hall, a council spokesman said

Three quarters of staff at a county council will continue to work from home, a review said.

Essex County Council expects almost 6,000 of its 7,700 staff will be hybrid workers post-Covid, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

The authority said it wants to enable effective flexible working and to "right-size" its estate portfolio.

It plans to "redefine the purpose of buildings and create spaces staff need and will utilise".

A spokesman said despite the plans, there would not be "for sale" sign outside county hall.

The council has hibernated part of the building at county hall which will enable savings of £125,000 for 2021-22 and £250,000 for subsequent years.

In Colchester, the county council plans to sell Stanwell House and vacate Essex House by end of September 2023 by invoking a break clause.

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