Shropshire Star

Shropshire Council could sell off buildings in 'shared-offices' plan

Shropshire Council could sell off some of its buildings in a cost-cutting move that would see it work with blue-light services, housing and health trusts.

Published
Malcolm Pate

The scheme would see the authority sign up to the Government programme, 'One Public Estate', which would mean joining up with a number of other public bodies and agreeing to pool resources.

Rather than having separate buildings for emergency services, hospital trusts and University Centre Shrewsbury, staff would "co-locate" at the same properties – freeing up others to be sold off.

Shropshire Council leader Malcolm Pate said the plans are at a very early stage, but progress is being made.

He said: "It is about lots of different public bodies sharing property and assets.

"For instance, we are talking to the police, health and some other Government offices and it may be that by sharing office space, we can release space for sale and generate capital receipt."

Earlier this year, the Government invited councils to register an interest in signing up for the One Public Estate scheme.

The Shropshire Estates Partnership (SEP) – which represents all bodies involved and is led by Shropshire Council – has put forward its initial ideas and, if approved, could receive up to £50,000 funding to assess each potential project.

Following a more detailed proposal later this year, it could then be given up to £500,000 to put the plans in motion.

In its expression of interest the SEP said it aims to reduce the number of council-occupied buildings from 10 to seven, freeing up property for employment and business.

This could, in the long term, include redevelopment of Princess House and William Farr buildings in Shrewsbury and the release of three council-owned business park buildings.

Another project could create space for an additional 250 people at Shirehall as part of its development as a public sector hub.

By 2021 the cumulative space occupied by the bodies reduced by 50 per cent.

Councillor Pate said while the plans would minimise property running costs, it would not mean everything would be located in a single place.

He said: "We are still working on it at the moment, it is a big subject and needs a lot of thought.

"If we can generate capital receipts it may ease slightly our revenue position.

"The services still have to be accessible to local people. You couldn't put everything in Shirehall in Shrewsbury and expect people to move there for everything they want.

"We haven't got down to the detail about where and when to do it yet.

"It is as fast or as slow as people can work. We have got to make sure what we develop is doable and not detrimental to our delivery of services."

More detail will be unveiled later this year when the partnership puts forward its final delivery plan.

So far, the partnership includes bodies such as Shrewsbury & Telford Hospital NHS Trust, West Mercia Police, Shropshire Fire Authority, Shropdoc, National Probation Service, Shropshire Town & Rural Housing, Job Centre Plus and NHS Property Services.

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