Save real money, Bell tells Minister, move Bristol tax office to Weston

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 7th Jul 2008

If the Government really wants to save taxpayers money they should abandon plans to close Weston-super-Mare tax office and relocate staff from Bristol to Weston instead. That's the verdict of the town's Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate, Mike Bell.

In a letter to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Alistair Darling MP, Mr Bell has challenged the Government to prove the extent of the savings they predict will be achieved by closing Weston tax office and centralising in Bristol. He has produced evidence that average office rents in Weston are as much as two thirds less than in Bristol, arguing that the economic advantage is with Weston, not Bristol.

Mike Bell commented: "The proposed closure of Weston tax office in favour of Bristol makes no sense at all. First, it is cheaper to accommodate staff in Weston than in Bristol. Average office rents are as much as two thirds cheaper in here than in the city.

"Second, there is no evidence to suggest that high-level strategic work could not be undertaken in Weston as well as anywhere else. Why should fifty jobs in Weston be relocated needlessly when local staff are demonstrably capable of doing the excellent job they have for many years? Thirdly, apparently no account whatsoever has been taken of the environmental impact of expecting staff and local taxpayers to travel to Bristol instead of using their own local office.

"If any case can be made for efficiency savings from tax office closures across the West - then a stronger case can be made for locating tax staff in Weston instead of Bristol. It is more economical here, the working environment is better and such a move would demonstrate the Government's commitment to decentralisation and regeneration at a stroke."