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Lib Dem leader Prue Bray is unimpressed at plans to spend more than £500,000 on revamping the council's Shute End offices
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Fears over 'colossal' civic offices spend

By Jon Nurse
March 04, 2013

‘Colossal' spending on the borough council’s Shute End offices was defended by claims it will lead to long-term savings.

As the council budget is squeezed to find £6 million of savings, more than £500,000 is being spent around the council offices.

The main reception will be remodelled at a cost of £200,000, while £330,000 will be spent on the Smart Moves scheme.

Graham Ebers, strategic director of resources, said: “There are compelling business grounds for spending £500,000 one-off to generate ongoing benefit.

“The plan is to save well in excess of £500,000 a year and gain sizable capital receipts in the context of productivity increasing and being more mobile.”

The Smart Moves scheme is designed to allow more workstations to be shared and encourage staff to work away from the office.

Mr Ebers added: “We are not the only organisation to do Smart Working but we are one of the most aggressive from two (people) to one (desk) – we are being quite ambitious.”

Councillor Prue Bray, leader of the council’s Liberal Democrat opposition, isn’t impressed by the spend.

“The council has been moving a lot of people around the building, some of which we are not sure is entirely necessary,” she said.

The majority of the spend on the Shute End reception and the Smart Moves scheme comes from the 2012-13 capital budget, with the remainder coming from existing maintenance budgets.

Mr Ebers said the change to the reception would make the area a single point of contact for customers, doing away with the need for many receptions across the building, however Cllr Bray points to another reason for the investment.

She said: “The spend on the reception is only a consequence of the town centre regeneration and a new road passing through to Shute End.

“It would no longer be possible to have people coming in the main entrance (from the car park) because there would be a road there. That necessitates an awful lot of changes inside the building and costs a lot of money.”

An additional £250,000 is being spent on the council’s move from offices at the Old Forge in Peach Street. Cllr Bray said: “It was only in 2008 that they spent money on the Old Forge and now they are spending money bringing the people back.

“I don’t understand that at all. It’s a colossal amount of money.

“They have made so many of these decisions in the past, I wonder if they will need to reorganise themselves again in the future.”

More than 80 staff will be leaving the Old Forge in the spring, freeing the council from its significant portion of the building’s £500,000 lease.

Mr Ebers added: “As we decant staff into other properties, we save on business rates, heating and lighting to the tune of £50,000.”

Smart Moves has been developed over the past two years and Mr Ebers said he has seen sickness rates halve as people have been able to work from home.

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Most recent user comments 13 of 13

Hot dealing leads to waste - can remember working at one organisation where you waited half a day to get a desk to work at. Sounds ad though the car park will go, except for staff and councillors of course, so you'll have to pay when you need to visit. WBC being very Wokingham centred and ignoring the thought of providing services based around the whole of its district. If you can deal with all queries at one point as they say, why can't they have a drop in point in Woodley/Earley?

Bingley, Woodley
06/03/2013 at 08:10

As the council is for budget control reasons reducing the number of staff that it employs it is only reasonable that it brings staff from off site locations like the Old Forge back into the main office.

However it is much more questionable whether money should be spent at this stage on revamping reception to accommodate the planned new road. I thought the detailed plans for Elms Field were still being negotiated and so this is rather jumping the gun.

PoneRana, Wokingham
05/03/2013 at 14:13

The regeneration is a magic pill. Just swallow it! It might taste funny, but then most medicine does. WBC vacating a town centre rental because the cost is too high whilst proclaiming that the regeneration will save Wokingham and that premium new town centre retail lets will be snapped up.

Beef Cake Argh!
04/03/2013 at 17:02

It would be nice to read that some of the money spent would be in providing affordable accommodation. There is a strong case for providing tied accommodation on site in places like town halls for people like security and maintenace staff.

PoneRana, Wokingham
04/03/2013 at 14:45

An absolute staggering waste of money. Love the logic - spend 500k to save money! I thought that Wokingham Direct was going to save money but not seen any measurable benefits from this either. Is there any business acumen in the council? I'm sure the 'hot desking' consultants are the one's making the money! A new entrance to the council? No problem. How much? A new reception. No problem. How much? It's like the Chuckle Brothers at WBC.

Blackburn Rovers fan, Wokingham
04/03/2013 at 11:22

They cant even provide decent homes to homeless or people at need. But im sure they will be ok in there revamped or new offices.

YoYo-Sindlesham, Sindlesham
04/03/2013 at 11:15

The road that has been suggested (has it been decided already??) would also solve the problem of the railway station traffic; best have two schemes on the go, though, eh, otherwise how will the starving managing directors of construction companies eat?

Damiano_Tommassi, Wokingham
04/03/2013 at 10:23

Unbelievable. £500,000 spent on offices, it's not like these offices are run down or there is asbestos in the offices.

Why can't the Council instead invest this £500,000 in local businesses and Council jobs, NOT as a way of improving THEIR lives, but a way of improving OUR (the majority of local people's) lives.

wokinghamworker, Wokingham
04/03/2013 at 10:22

WBC....... Talks Blue sky Regeneration......... Fails to fix the phones to Wokingham Direct in a timely manner.

Beef Cake Argh!
04/03/2013 at 09:54

This appears to be even more money going on Wokingham's regeneration

Prue Bray explains “The spend on the reception is only a consequence of the town centre regeneration and a new road passing through to Shute End.

It would no longer be possible to have people coming in the main entrance (from the car park) because there would be a road there. That necessitates an awful lot of changes inside the building and costs a lot of money.”

Phil Challis, woodley
04/03/2013 at 09:51

Hi Dave.

I understand the council's desire for home working, I took part in it myself and have family that do it - I'm certain it lowers productivity, absolutely convinced.

However, I'm still trying to figure out what these words mean:

“gain sizable capital receipts in the context of productivity increasing and being more mobile.”

Damiano_Tommassi, Wokingham
04/03/2013 at 09:35

Damiano - In english, they're looking to save money on their real esate costs by getting people to hotdesk and work from home. They also believe this may lead to an increase in productivity as some studies have shown that home workers work longer hours. This is going against the grain for most leading private sector companies who have tried this approach and found it lowers productivity and collaboration as people need to physically interact to be able to work together effectively. Also as Cllr Bray says this will mean that the money spent on locating people in Peach Street was wasted.

Dave35
04/03/2013 at 09:28

“The plan is to save well in excess of £500,000 a year and gain sizable capital receipts in the context of productivity increasing and being more mobile.” -what? Speak English, man.