At Full Council on Thursday 9 May 2024, Angus councillors will be asked to give the go-ahead to market Angus House, the council’s head office, allowing the council to consider future options for the use of the building going forward.
The report (Report No.8 150/24) sets out how the success of the council’s Agile programme, which provided Angus Council staff with the ability to work at venues outside its offices, has resulted in spare capacity within the council building. This in turn may present further opportunities for the council to make significant financial and carbon savings.
If approved, Angus House, Forfar will be marketed for part lease if sub-divided into smaller suites, full lease, or sale, for a period of up to 18 months for the purpose of informing future estate rationalisation options, with a further report coming to council presenting the outcomes of the marketing exercise after a period of 18 months or earlier if necessary.
Chief Executive Kathryn Lindsay said, “Twenty years ago, when the building of Angus House was approved, no one could have foreseen the changes to working practices that technology has enabled and that were further embedded during the COVID-19 pandemic period.
“We are committed to finding the best approach going forward, considering how best to support colleagues in their delivery of services to the public, while promoting the effective utilisation of office space and council resources. This marketing exercise will give us important data to inform the ongoing assessment of the potential options for further rationalisation of our estate and in turn support councillors in their decision making.
“I would like to pay tribute to our staff who have shown incredible flexibility and resilience in their roles. It is their willingness and ability to move to innovative working practices and find creative ways to maintain effective working relationships within and between teams which now provides us with the opportunity to consider new ways to reduce our carbon footprint and our outgoings, directing more of our limited funds to the service of the people of Angus.”
The council started its Agile programme in 2015 and has since delivered £3.68million of recurring revenue savings, generated capital receipts of £1.33million and reduced our carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 298 tonnes.
These savings have been achieved through pro-active management of the council’s estate, reducing it by 32 properties which have now either been returned to the Common Good, leased out, subject to a successful Community Asset Transfer (CAT), disposed of or are currently in the process of disposal.