New plans to release cash in council’s old buildings

Herefordshire's council and primary care trust are together exploring ways of rationalising several costly old buildings and replace them with a small number of modern, low-maintenance and 'green' offices to integrate and improve services.

The council's strategic monitoring committee, whose role is to scrutinise policies and decisions, agreed today (Monday 28 April 2008) to set up a small working party of elected councillors and a member of the primary care trust board, to consider the long-term accommodation strategy. The strategy includes a feasibility study to determine how the two organisations can make best use of existing assets and potential for a joint head quarters, as well as bring together the teams that provide public services for local people.

Sonia Rees, the council's director of resources, told the committee: "The current asset base ties up a lot of cash in sustaining an historic and largely unsuitable portfolio that is not fit for purpose in a modern age. The capital needs to be released and recycled to support new corporate priorities and partnership working, and focus on integrating and improving customer services".

Councillor Phil Edwards, chair of the strategic monitoring committee, formed a small working group to consider the options for the future integrated accommodation of council and primary care trust staff and asked that it present its finding to the committee on 13 June. Proposals will then go to the council's cabinet and to the primary care trust board before the end of the year.

The long-term accommodation strategy could link a number of projects, including a new customer services office and back office on the Edgar Street Grid civic quarter; the retention of the Shire Hall and Town Hall in Hereford as a civic suite; a main public library in the city, a training centre and data centre to provide information technology back up to the council, the PCT and the hospital.

Discussions will also take place with other public services providers, such as the NHS Hospital Trust, police, fire, ambulance, voluntary sector and government agencies to identify possible joint developments and funding streams.