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1. Brief Description of the Project:

In 2003 the Council developed an Accommodation and Alternative Working strategy in order to realise efficiency and improve staff motivation. This was fundamentally driven by the poor state of repair of the council’s office provision. The project was implemented over a period of three years and comprised two main elements:

  • Rationalisation of the Council’s office portfolio from eight to six buildings, together with the refurbishment and improvement of existing space
  • Improved ICT systems through a single external provider, allowing for more flexible working solutions


In 2005, the ICT provision at the Council consisted of disparate networks, email systems and file store on local drives, proving inflexible for staff to move around the estate. Over a period of 18 months, the CITI (Council IT Infrastructure) project centralised and consolidated services to a single converged network. Staff can now log on at any Council site across the Borough, and access their IT Services for network, voice and applications.

2. Key Aims

  • Consolidate office accommodation
  • Raise capital receipts from disposal of surplus accommodation
  • Efficiencies in staff working
  • Encouragement of flexible working
  • Improvement in staff moral


3. Key Challenges/Major Issues

  • Managing staff attitudes towards workspace changes
  • Introduction of flexible working
  • Planning for future space needs
  • Which technology to incorporate within the strategy
  • Which staff groups to relocate
  • Which properties to dispose of or redevelop

4. Key Benefits/Successes

  • Reduction in physical space requirements
  • £12.5 million of capital receipts raised from disposal of surplus accommodation
  • IT cost savings of £1.2 million per annum
  • Increase in office work station efficiency resulting in a 30% desk space reduction
  • Reduction in staff absenteeism from 10.7% to 9.0% per annum
  • Over 440 staff are now able to work flexibly across the Council’s Administrative Buildings
  • A 90% reduction in desktop deployment costs
  • Increase in staff moral through the introduction of staff break out areas


5. Lessons Learnt

  • The importance of integrating IT, HR and Accommodation
  • Consultation with staff at all stages of the project
  • Importance of having a Change Team to work with Staff, Project Managers (IT and Accommodation) and HR Advisers


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