To review and recommend further delivery of the “better ways of working” (BWOW) initiative that enables employees to work flexibly and to consolidate use of premises.  This decision reflects on the impact and implications of Covid-19 on the plans that were set out and agreed by Cabinet on 27 February 2020.

The cabinet member commissioning, procurement and assets introduced the item. She highlighted that the proposed changes had resulted from the council’s response to the coronavirus epidemic. The staff survey carried out had a high response rate and showed positive feedback from staff regarding the new working arrangements that had been adopted. Increased remote working allowed the council to look at its property portfolio to see what savings could be made at a time when it would be facing financial pressures. The cabinet member noted an addition to recommendation (f) in the report whereby Ross-on-Wye town council would also be consulted regarding the reconfiguration and improvement works at the Ryefield Centre.

The assistant director corporate support explained that a decision on the future occupation of Elgar House needed to be taken now if the break clause was to be exercised. She set out the arrangement that would be in place for those staff members who needed access to an office and the options if social distancing measures were reduced. There would continue to be some services, particularly around social care, that would need to work from an office base and this had been taken into consideration. The capacity of the multi-agency offices in Leominster and Ross-on-Wye would be increased which would benefit the market towns and help reduce staff travel.

In discussing the report cabinet members noted that:

·         Staff had responded positively and with flexibility to the changes in working practices;

·         There might be unexpected and unintended consequences which the council should try to anticipate and be ready to respond to;

·         Staff had reported better work-life balance as a result of increased home working;

·         The council would need to make sure that staff working from home were given appropriate support to do so in a healthy way e.g. making sure appropriate equipment was used and regular screen breaks taken.

Group leaders were asked for the views and queries of their respective groups. It was noted that:

·         The council workforce was very flexible and it was appropriate to consider the future of buildings that might not be needed any more;

·         There was some concern that the response to the virus and expiring of leases was driving the changes and that the benefits of having staff under the same roof would be lost;

·         Spaces such as the canteen in Plough Lane had been useful for making informal connections and it was hoped that these opportunities would not be lost;

·         Moving to more remote and home working could have a positive impact for those with limited access to transport, disabilities or care responsibilities;

·         Only 52% had responded to the staff survey, although this was a good rate compared with previous surveys it still meant that only just over half of staff had responded.

In response to queries raised it was explained that the decisions taken by cabinet in February had already set a lot in train and that the council had already taken steps to facilitate remote working such as replacing desk tops with laptops to aid flexible working and improving networks. This had allowed the council to move more quickly when the virus restrictions had been put in place. The changes had pushed teams to try new ways of working and had opened up opportunities.

It was agreed that:

(a)   based on an increase of home working, notice is served to terminate the lease of Elgar House by activating break clause making a base budget saving of £205k and disposing of the Old Priory in Leominster creating a base budget saving of £90k;

(b)  Disposal of other sites in Hereford when operationally appropriate covering 1a, 8 and 10 St Owen’s Street and Union Street offices creating a combined base budget saving of £100k with delegated authority to assistant director, technical services in consultation with the cabinet member for commissioning, procurement and assets;

(c)   the timescale to serve notice on Nelson House is delegated to assistant director, technical services in consultation with the cabinet member for commissioning, procurement and assets;

(d)  base budget of £60k is realigned from property services site running costs to cover annual revenue expenditure associated with the new model of working at Plough Lane;

(e)   the Ryefield Centre in Ross on Wye is retained as a council base in the south of the county; and

(f)    revised approved capital spend for BWOW of up to £850k based on:

·         reconfiguration and improvement works at the Ryefield Centre up to the value of £500k in consultation with the cabinet member for commissioning, procurement and assets and Ross-on-Wye Town Council;

·         allocation of up to £350k to deliver the better ways of working project through delegated authority to the assistant director corporate support in consultation with the cabinet member for commissioning, procurement and assets.