Change on the way for council office workers
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WORKERS at Aberdeenshire Council may soon be forced to switch offices, as councillors agreed to go ahead with plans to cut the number of buildings the authority occupies.
The plans, which would see offices close in Macduff, Banff and Fraserburgh over the next two years, were agreed after councillors visited offices in three of the towns where closure plans are in place.
A proposal for a new office in Banff, capable of accommodating 150 staff, would cost £3.35 million to build, and create a central hub for the public to use, without having to travel elsewhere for the major services.
Councillor Tait said: "The offices in the town centre are there to deal with the public.
"Moving officers into one building is a great opportunity for the departments to co-operate," he added.
Offices in Banff which would be removed include Winston House and Cape House.
In Macduff, offices in Berrymuir Road and Shore Street are under consideration to be closed.
Councillors agreed that concentrating officers in town centres would benefit staff and the public.
Councillor Cox said: "We want to maintain as many people working in the town centre as possible - that is important."
Aberdeenshire Council presently operates out of 98 buildings, a number Councillor Brian Topping wants to reduce.
He said: "There are so many buildings and I am not happy with that at all."
Offices disposed of by the council will either be kept as part of the council’s investment portfolio or sold.
