Agenda item

RESOLVED:

1.    That the outline Agile Office Estate Strategy, overall direction of travel and its proposal to develop an associated Agile Office Estate Programme be agreed.

2.    That an allocation of £300k programme budget funding for dedicated external resources required to develop programme detail including a full Programme Business Case be agreed.

3.    That a finalised Strategy and Programme Business Case seeking approval of required resources to deliver the full programme be produced by Q2 2021.

Reason for Decision:

The County Council’s office estate has evolved over time with some but not a completely coordinated approach. This has brought about a situation where the current corporate office estate is no longer fit for purpose and subject to several weaknesses. The most striking example of many of these characteristics is County Hall, which has been outside of the County boundaries since 1965.

Specifically, the current corporate office estate is:

·         of generally low quality, that does not efficiently support the adoption of Agile modern working practices.

·         expensive compared to industry benchmarks and expensive to maintain.

·         high in its carbon output with poor energy efficiency.

·         relatively poorly located and under-utilised.

This Agile Office Estate strategy proposes to address these issues by adopting a strategically led approach to transforming the County Council’s corporate office estate.

Using the move out of County Hall as a catalyst and embracing the principles of the One Public Estate, while recognising that the impact of Covid has created a major step change in the way the organisation operates. The following benefits will be targeted through the work of the strategy:

o   Reduce overall spend on the office estate by c£3m per annum.

o   Reduce overall space from c50,000m2 to c20,000m2.

o   All offices to be within County.

o   Carbon emissions to fall from 2,600 tonnes per annum to net zero by 2030.

Key strategic public sector partners will be engaged to identify collaborative opportunities to enable closer and more effective working across organisations as well as delivering financial efficiencies across the public sector in Surrey.

[The decisions on this item can be called in by the Resources and Performance Select Committee]

The Cabinet Member for Resources introduced the report explaining that there was urgent need for restructuring the corporate office estate which is outlined via a new Agile Office Estate Strategy. The Strategy aligns with the councils greener future strategy. The following benefits would be targeted through the work of the strategy, some of these include reducing overall office space by 60%, Carbon emissions to fall from 2,600 tonnes per annum to net zero by 2030, reduce overall spend on the office estate by c£3m per annum, progress the strategy of the one public estate and provide for four office hubs located in each quadrant in the county.

The Deputy Leader commented that the report displays the councils commitment to move back into Surrey and commitment to improving its environmental agenda. The four hubs placed around the county would reduce travel time and therefore impact positively on our environmental agenda. The Leader stated that it was important the council pushes forward the rationalisation of its property and aim to make the county carbon neutral by 2030.  

RESOLVED:

1.    That the outline Agile Office Estate Strategy, overall direction of travel and its proposal to develop an associated Agile Office Estate Programme be agreed.

2.    That an allocation of £300k programme budget funding for dedicated external resources required to develop programme detail including a full Programme Business Case be agreed.

3.    That a finalised Strategy and Programme Business Case seeking approval of required resources to deliver the full programme be produced by Q2 2021.

Reason for Decision:

The County Council’s office estate has evolved over time with some but not a completely coordinated approach. This has brought about a situation where the current corporate office estate is no longer fit for purpose and subject to several weaknesses. The most striking example of many of these characteristics is County Hall, which has been outside of the County boundaries since 1965.

Specifically, the current corporate office estate is:

·         of generally low quality, that does not efficiently support the adoption of Agile modern working practices.

·         expensive compared to industry benchmarks and expensive to maintain.

·         high in its carbon output with poor energy efficiency.

·         relatively poorly located and under-utilised.

This Agile Office Estate strategy proposes to address these issues by adopting a strategically led approach to transforming the County Council’s corporate office estate.

Using the move out of County Hall as a catalyst and embracing the principles of the One Public Estate, while recognising that the impact of Covid has created a major step change in the way the organisation operates. The following benefits will be targeted through the work of the strategy:

o   Reduce overall spend on the office estate by c£3m per annum.

o   Reduce overall space from c50,000m2 to c20,000m2.

o   All offices to be within County.

o   Carbon emissions to fall from 2,600 tonnes per annum to net zero by 2030.

Key strategic public sector partners will be engaged to identify collaborative opportunities to enable closer and more effective working across organisations as well as delivering financial efficiencies across the public sector in Surrey.

[The decisions on this item can be called in by the Resources and Performance Select Committee]