The project, which we are leading, involves a number of public sector organisations with property in Matlock and is being supported by funding from the national One Public Estate Programme. This involves a number of public services, including ourselves, Derbyshire Dales District Council, and some health services.
All partners are keen to work together to see what opportunities there are to reduce the number of buildings being used, and to improve those buildings used for frontline services, and to offer better office accommodation.
The next stage is a full analysis of the buildings used by public sector organisations in and around the immediate vicinity of Matlock, leading to a business case being prepared for the options identified.
Deputy Council Leader, Councillor Simon Spencer explains:
“Together we have a large number of buildings in the town, and we want to see how we could use them better, to both save money and offer better facilities for our frontline services.
“Most of the organisations that are part of the project don’t need the amount of office accommodation that they needed before the pandemic, as working partly in the office and partly at home has become the new normal.
“While our plans for County Hall are progressing, and will be informed and shaped by this project, we also have the library building, which is not really suitable for a modern library.
“Over the next few months we will work together to scope out what could be possible, for the benefit of all organisations, and the public that fund us all.”
Derbyshire Dales District Council Leader, Councillor Steve Flitter said:
“The District Council acknowledges the need to work with public sector partner organisations in order to further improve the delivery of public services whilst also delivering efficiencies in operating costs.
“The Matlock Locality Review is one such opportunity which deserves our full and serious consideration.”