Council buys former magsitrates court (From Daily Echo)
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Council buys former magsitrates court
12:05pm Sunday 7th October 2012 in News
Council buys former magsitrates court
TEST Valley Borough Council has bought the former magistrates’ court in Romsey which will become its customer service centre when the authority closes its Duttons Road offices.
This is part of the council’s restructuring which it hopes will save £1m per year.
The former court building in Church Street has been bought from Hampshire County Council, some of whose social services staff will continue to be based there.
The borough council plans to move customer service staff from Duttons Road in February while the rest, around 65, will be relocated to the authority’s Beech Hurst offices in Andover.
Council leader Cllr Ian Carr said: “Co-locating staff not remaining in Romsey into vacant space at our Beech Hurst offices in Andover will achieve savings of £100,000 a year with a payback in less than five years.
"This saving will make a significant contribution to our efficiency target and help to minimise any council tax rises.”
The council hopes the new offices will become a community hub which will also be home to voluntary sector organisations.
