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1. Brief Description of the Project:

In 2006 the Council began to recognise that its estate was widely dispersed, of poor quality and generally inefficient for modern day to day use. Subsequently, the Council authorised initial research into the acquisition of more modern accommodation with a view to relocate between 1000 and 2000 staff.

In January 2007, a strategy for the Borough’s short, medium and long term office accommodation was approved with a business case developed and adopted. The focus of the project was to provide a new administrative building, bringing together key staff under one roof. In addition, the disposal of surplus properties would provide the generation of capital receipts required to fund the acquisition and fit out of the new offices.

Once a property agent had been appointed, a thorough accommodation search commenced with a suitable property secured in May 2007. The new accommodation at Tooley Street, SE1 is currently under construction and is due to be completed in early 2009. The Council aims to relocate up to 2,100 staff to the new site, which makes up just under half of its total workforce, excluding teachers.

2. Key Aims

The project focus was to align the new accommodation with the Council’s business model, namely to include the following:
  • Provision for service delivery that requires a local presence
  • Incorporation of specialist services that cannot be readily combined within central office activities
  • Provision for central office activity that is not location dependant
  • A high quality, efficient working environment that offers sufficient flexibility for the future
  • Promotion of collaborative, creative and innovative working
  • Fostering of good internal and external communications
  • The projection of a modern, professional and welcoming image

3. Key Challenges/Major Issues

  • Sourcing accommodation that supports service delivery and aligns with the Council’s business model
  • Managing staff expectations and their individual needs
  • Managing the project timeline
  • Driving out efficiencies from co-location
4. Key Benefits/Successes

In implementing the new accommodation strategy, the Council hope to achieve the following:

  • Improved team working and communication
  • Healthier, happier and more motivated workforce
  • Improved sustainability
  • More adequate resources for the promotion of flexible working
  • Increase in service delivery efficiency with a greater ability for customer focus

5. Lessons Learnt

  • The office accommodation strategy should to be aligned with other corporate programmes - such as modernisation - as early on as possible
  • Communications and change management need to be well resourced

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