Council plans to move 1,000 jobs out of Weston

10.56.37am GMT Wed 9th Dec 2009

Conservative run North Somerset Council has today announced plans to move up to 1,000 jobs out of Weston-super-Mare in a £16 million switch to Clevedon.

Mike Bell, the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Weston-super-Mare, described the plan as "a crushing blow to the town".

Although the plan will not see the Town Hall closed, more than half the jobs in the civic centre and other nearby council offices could be relocated to the former Clerical Medical offices at Castlewood in Clevedon.

The Council plans to borrow up to £16 million to acquire the building and centralise employees there.

Mr Bell commented: "This plan could see approaching 1,000 jobs lost from Weston town centre, something that will hit the local economy incredibly hard.

"At a time when the economy is struggling and the Council is trying to lead regeneration of the town centre, it is a crushing blow to the town.

"Many people will also wonder how, when debt levels are rising nationally and the Council is claiming to be cash-strapped, they can propose to borrow £16 million to pay for new offices.

"The fact is that, under its current leadership, this Council is anti-Weston and we are now seeing this manifested by a headlong rush out of town."

Approximately 1,100 Council staff are employed in Weston town centre, 240 staff around Weston and 150 outside Weston. The Castlewood building will be able to accommodate around 1,000 employees.