East Devon District Council to explore options for new HQ

Options for a new headquarters at Honiton or Cranbrook are to be put under the microscope following unanimous agreement from EDDC’s Cabinet on Wednesday 17 July that staying at Knowle is not a viable option.

Council Leader Paul Diviani says: “We looked long and hard at all the options on the table including staying at Knowle. The simple matter of fact is that our current offices are a huge drain on resources - as well as the financial considerations, the buildings are just not fit for purpose.

“We also considered in detail a number of options for demolishing the current offices and building smaller offices on the site alongside some residential development. But it just doesn’t stack up financially”.

Officers have instead been asked to do some intensive work on sites in Honiton and on Cranbrook High Street. This would include starting the ball rolling on potential site negotiations as well as providing detailed costings on the options to ensure that they fulfill the commitment not to place any extra tax burden on residents.

A district-wide stakeholder meeting on 26 July will be an opportunity to discuss the options being considered with key stakeholders. Among those invited are town and parish councils, chambers of commerce, community organisations, neighbouring local authorities and pressure groups. This will be the start point for setting up an ongoing district-wide group.

The Council has also agreed to spend a further £95,000 on the project which, like other costs so far, is factored into the overall project cost.

“Office relocation is not part of our day-to-day business so we need to make sure we get the best professional advice,” said Cllr Diviani. “In any move we must maximise the money we gain through the sale of Knowle and Manstone and choose the right location for our new headquarters. That professional advice has a cost but it will be money well spent if in the long term we move to new premises which save the Council up to £189,000 each year in running costs”.

The Council has identified that running costs could be reduced by as much as is currently spent each year on all the district’s public sports grounds. Reducing office costs is critical to being able to maintain high quality services in the future as the Council is facing further cuts to its grant from central government.

Any new offices will be smaller, flexible and more energy efficient as well as offering a better experience for customers and delivering a modern working environment for staff and councillors.

A detailed report on the outcome of negotiations on preferred office relocation options will be brought to Cabinet around the end of the year.