3 February 2010
Move to Hailsham will protect front line services
Wealden District Council's Cabinet has approved plans which will result in savings of over £350,000 a year by extending its current Hailsham offices to create a single site headquarters.
"This is an exciting step forward in our goal of ensuring Wealden is a streamlined organisation delivering essential customer-focussed services for the future," said Councillor Pam Doodes, Leader of Wealden District Council.
"We have long held that a move to a single site headquarters would mean a significant improvement in the cost of running the Council as well as improving the way we work."
Councillor Bob Standley, Cabinet member for Finance and Assets said: "Thanks to the savings realised by our Transformation Programme we can meet all our office requirements through a major refurbishment of the current building with a small extension added."
"The work will be paid for through a mixture of corporate receipts and use of our reserves. It will be at no extra cost to the tax payer and will enable resources to be focused on front line services."
Wealden's Transformation Programme is on target to deliver savings of over £2.7 million by 2012.
The Council will maintain a face-to-face reception in Crowborough and is supporting the new Community Facility to be built for the town on part of the site. Crowborough Library, run by East Sussex County Council, will continue to occupy its Pine Grove premises. Ultimately the Council is planning to dispose of its property at Pine Grove.
The move to Hailsham is expected to be completed by the end of 2012. Working with the Hailsham War Memorial Institute Trust and Hailsham Town Council, Wealden is also hoping to refurbish Hailsham Community Hall, which is at the rear of the Council's Vicarage Lane offices. This will enable it to be used for full Council and other meetings as well as providing improved facilities for the people of Hailsham.
