Great Yarmouth to sell off council-buildings and relocate staff

The Novus Centre and The Catalyst building on the Conge in Great Yarmouth.Picture: James Bass (Image: Archant Norfolk © 2015)

Maritime House on the seafront, formerly a maritime museum and now the town's Tourism Information Centre, is one of three buildings Great Yarmouth Borough Council will get rid of, saving themselves £405,000 over the next three years.

The Novus Centre and the Catalyst on The Conge will also be sold or rented.

The move was rubber-stamped at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday night, when councillors approved a bigger scheme to overhaul how and where council staff work.

Exactly what will happen to the three buildings is not yet clear.

The Grade II listed Maritime House, which was originally a refuge for shipwrecked sailors, is a jewel in Yarmouth's crown and could be redeveloped before it is sold off or rented. Whatever happens to the buildings, a council spokesman said that the Tourism Information Centre will be relocated rather than shut down.

'The future location of the Tourist Information Centre based at Maritime House is currently under review,' he said.

'However it must be emphasised that the centre is not planned to close, regardless of future location.'

The changes are part of the borough council's 'flexible workforce programme', itself part of the wider transformation programme which aims to make £4.7m worth of savings in four years.

Over the next few months, a quarter of the council's 405-strong workforce will be relocating to the Town Hall and Greyfriars House.

The authority will take out a loan of £940,000 to update the two sites; Greyfriars - which had its reception invested in only four years ago - will be completely redeveloped with the addition of self-service mahcines in reception, while 'business suites' will be installed at Town Hall.

The council is also bringing in new IT and telephony and introducing 'hot-desking' – in which staff share working stations.

Speaking at the cabinet meeting, director of customer services Jane Beck said: 'We can accommodate all our staff in the two buildings, giving us opportunities to rent or sell or redevelop and rent or redevelop and sell our other buildings.

'It would enable redevelopment of reception at Greyfriars House so people can self-serve and scan their own documents. That doesn't mean we wouldn't still see people face to face, but it would significantly change the look and feel of the customer contact centre.

'It's clear that what people want is to see the economy of the town lifted and the business suites at Town Hall would enable members to hold meetings and host potential investors.'

The physical changes were 'intrinsically linked' to the council's digital overhaul, she added.

In their report, Mrs Beck and transformation programme manager Kate Watts said the flexible workforce programme would modernise the way staff work, boost morale, reduce sickenss and absence and show investors that Yarmouth was up to date and fit for purpose.

'The cost of this work would total £940,000,' said the report.

'Subsequent annual repayments of £70,000 to pay back this loan will be required. These annual repayments could be reduced if capital receipts are used to make part payments of the loan.'

Officers estimate that selling or renting out Maritime House would save £47,000 a year, Novus Centre £72,000, and the Catalyst £16,000.

•The cabinet members approved a new council tax base rate for 2015/16 and agreed that a vote on raising members' allowances in line with a staff pay increase of 2.2pc, would take place at full council meeting on Monday. Council leader Trevor Wainright said it would be a free vote, but believed members should decline the increase of £4,733 a year in order to 'send a message to residents' still struggling with money.

•The results of Great Yarmouth Borough Council's Transformation consultation.