Highland Council on track to save £1.3 million by moving staff from Inverness Town House and other offices
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Moves are on track to make £1.3 million in Highland Council budget savings by relocating staff and vacating and selling offices.
A meeting of the council’s redesign board yesterday heard that progress on asset rationalisation was on target for 2023/24.
Members noted progress made on projects to shift staff from Inverness Town House to council headquarters and on vacating the High Life Highland office building in Ardross Street, Inverness.
The target is to achieve savings of £500,000 by next month and full savings of £1.3 million by the end of financial year 2023/24.
Cllr Bill Lobban, the redesign board chairman, said: “The redesign board is content with the progress being made that will deliver savings by reducing the Council’s office footprint.
“The relocation of Inverness Town House staff to council HQ is now underway and will help to reduce overhead costs, reduce energy consumption and contribute to climate change targets, while allowing the iconic civic building to be better utilised.
“A revised asset management project brief will be brought to a future redesign board meeting to outline the findings from additional work streams and business case proposals.”
The Asset Management Project (AMP) aims to deliver improvements of the council’s estate by reviewing the use and reducing the number of properties owned.
By doing so, it will reduce maintenance costs, energy use and carbon emissions and contribute to delivering revenue savings across all properties in 2023/24 and beyond.
School estate and housing revenue account properties are not included.
The relocation of council office-based staff from Inverness Town House is the first phase of the overall AMP which will maximise use of HQ buildings on Glenurquhart Road.
The first phase of the project involved planning new working arrangements in line with team workplace agreements, while a second phase involved redesigning work spaces to be more flexible and better.
Phase three involves implementing the changes, relocating staff and completion of a work space use survey.
High Life Highland are set to vacate the Ardross Street offices today, with alternative staff accommodation being provided at the Highland Archive and Registration Centre.
The Ardross Street property is up for sale at offers over £425,000.
There have also been initial discussions and engagement with staff at the following premises: Culcabock Child Guidance Centre; Criminal Justice Services, Culduthel; Dochfour Hutted Accommodation; Offices at 4 Castle Wynd; the Trading Standards Office, Harbour Road.
Other Council depots and buildings will be assessed and reviewed for condition and suitability, as well as potential workplace sharing and partnership sharing with other public sector bodies.
More information will be relayed at future redesign boards.
