Decision details

Cabinet considered the Work Smart Estates Strategy which contained a range of Officer recommendations to consolidate the Council’s office accommodation to meeting the £2.4m per annum revenue savings in the Council’s Medium Term Financial Plan.

RESOLVED –

Council Offices at Wycombe Old Library, Wycombe

(1)               That the Service Director of Property and Assets be authorised, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Accessible Housing and Resources, to make necessary arrangements to move staff from the Wycombe Old Library to the main Council Offices in Wycombe at Queen Victoria Road.

(2)               That the Service Director of Property and Assets be authorised, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Accessible Housing and Resources, to appoint necessary consultants, agree heads of terms, and terms for a leasehold contract, exchange and complete on the letting of all or part of the Council Offices at Wycombe Old Library, in accordance with the financial implications and proposed revenue savings set out in the appendices to the Cabinet report.

Council Offices at Queen Victoria Road, Wycombe

(3)               That the Service Director of Property and Assets be authorised, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Accessible Housing and Resources, to reduce operational accommodation as needed to reduce operational overhead in accordance with the provisions set out in the appendices to the Cabinet report.

(4)               That the property will be kept in the existing use for the interim period pending the conclusion of the series of actions set out in this report and the appendices and known as phase 1. At the conclusion of Phase 1 a further review of the accommodation need at the Wycombe Offices will be undertaken.

Council Offices at King George V House, Amersham

(5)               That the Service Director of Property and Assets be authorised, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Accessible Housing and Resources, to appoint necessary consultants to masterplan the site for re development, realising the opportunity for much needed housing in the Town Centre including affordable housing. As part of the re development, consideration will be given for a future Council presence in the town to facilitate Officer operational desk space, ancillary space, meeting space including space for Planning committee meetings, Environmental Health meetings, Community Board meetings and community access where they are not undertaken online or virtually.

(6)               That it be NOTED that for a period of time it might be the case that operations will need to be re located and temporary accommodation arranged for Council meetings and potentially interim office space for staff members. Alternatively, and where there is no obvious local need, Officers would be asked to re locate temporarily to either Wycombe or Aylesbury. The Service Director of Property and Assets is authorised to make such operational changes and agree associated costs. It is further NOTED that the disposal is at least 18 months into the future and the project will involve staff consultation regarding continued operations and potential impact on staff that are based at the Amersham office.

(7)               That the Service Director of Property and Assets be authorised, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Accessible Housing and Resources, to appoint necessary consultants to progress the masterplan of the site and make an application for Planning if needed and subsequently agree terms for disposal, agree contracts, exchange contracts subject to conditions and complete on the transaction subject to a further report to Cabinet on the final business case.

Council Offices at the Gateway, Gatehouse Way, Aylesbury

(8)               That the Council offices that have been the interim headquarters for the organisation since Unitary be APPROVED as the longer term headquarters for the Council.

(9)               That the Service Director of Property and Assets be authorised, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Accessible Housing and Resources, to appoint necessary consultants to consider master planning and preliminary budgeting for a potential extension and this will be considered against the options set out elsewhere in this report regarding the Council’s current legacy headquarters building in Walton Street.

(10)           That the Service Director of Property and Assets be authorised, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Accessible Housing and Resources, to appoint necessary consultants and contractors to bring forward the workspace accommodation strategy more widely at the Gateway following the recent successful pilot, in accordance with the financial implications set out in the appendices to the Cabinet report.

Council Offices at Walton Street, Aylesbury known as Walton Street Offices

(11)           The Walton Street offices are only partially occupied.  The Service Director of Property and Assets be authorised, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Accessible Housing and Resources, to appoint necessary consultants to bring forward the site for master planning, regeneration, development and possible sale.

(12)           That the Service Director of Property and Assets be authorised, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Accessible Housing and Resources, to appoint necessary consultants and if required make a Planning Application, agree terms for a potential disposal, agree contracts exchange contracts and complete on a disposal, The disposal would be subject if required to conditions and subject to alternative accommodation being provided for the staff currently based in Walton Street Offices.

Potential Council Offices at Aylesbury

(13)           That the Service Director of Property and Assets be authorised, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Accessible Housing and Resources, toappoint necessary consultants to review alternative opportunities for a smaller office in Aylesbury town centre as set out in the appendices to the Cabinet report.

The Council Offices at Denham

(14)           That it be AGREED that the Council offices at Denham that have been closed for operational use for some time will not be re-opened.

(15)           That the Service Director of Property and Assets be authorised, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Accessible Housing and Resources, to seek to surrender the lease with the Landlord or underlet the premises to reduce operational costs for the remainder of the term of the Lease.

General

(16)           That the Service Director of Property and Assets, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Accessible Housing and Resources, will bring back a periodic report to Cabinet with an update on the strategy set out in this report and the appendices not less than every 6 months for the next two years.