Talks to be held over Telford Land Registry office move
Union members and councillors will come together to discuss the privatisation of the Land Registry.
Members of PCS have been actively campaigning against the move as the Telford branch is a major employer.
It comes after an announcement in March that the Department for Business Innovation and Skills had issued a consultation document, with an aim to sell off the Land Registry by 2017.
The Land Registry employs about 300 people in Hall Park Way close to Telford Town Centre.
The decision has dismayed staff at the Telford office who have campaigned against plans to sell off the service.
It also leads to the prospect of contracts for the work carried out at Hall Park Way being put up to tender and being moved away from Telford.
Alison Walton, branch secretary of the union for the Land Registry, said they now planned to meet with Telford & Wrekin Council leader-elect Councillor Shaun Davies and deputy leader Councillor Richard Overton to discuss the detrimental impact the move could have on local jobs.
She said: "Nationally, PCS has lodged a consultation response and received much support from the public, lawyers and conveyancers, councillors and MPs.
"Locally, the branch is working hard to defend our public status."
The meeting is scheduled to take place on Thursday.
In May last year staff from Telford's Land Registry office, based in Hall Park Way, walked out as part of a two-day strike about national plans to sell off the agency and cut jobs.
The walkout of the union's 112 members in Telford was part of action at 14 different offices in England and Wales.
The coalition government tried to privatise the 150-year-old agency two years ago but a campaign was mounted for continued public ownership.
The agency has been previously valued at about £1.2 billion and made a surplus of £100 million for the public purse in 2012/13.
Last month, Telford & Wrekin Council requested a meeting with Business Secretary Sajid Javid over privatisation plans which could affect the future of a Government office in the borough.
At the time Councillor Shaun Davies, Telford & Wrekin Council's cabinet member for business, neighbourhood and customer services, said he had written to the Business Secretary, as well as the two borough MPs, to raise concerns.
"Any loss of jobs linked to the Land Registry risks causing a talent drain from the borough and a reversal of the recent positive steps the borough and the business community have made in investing in Telford."
