Wolverhampton Council to stick with flexible working

Chief executive Tim Johnson revealed in a video update to staff that the council was in no rush to get its full workforce back to the Civic Centre next month when most remaining Covid restrictions are scheduled to be lifted.

Opposition Conservative leader Wendy Thompson said the decision showed the costly revamp of the council's headquarters in 2016 was a mistake.

But council leader Ian Brookfield hit back and said the Civic would be as full as ever as the workforce would be centralised with some workers brought into the city centre from other council offices.

He said it would mean city centre businesses would not be adversely impacted and lose trade, as has been suggested.

"This argument that the poor sandwich shop owner will lose out does not ring true," he said. "The Civic Centre will be as full as ever.

"Yes, there will be a new way of working, some of it will be flexible but we have got 12 offices in the city that are part of a programme of relocation.

Flexibility

"This pandemic has moved us forward 10 years. Work life balance and people's mental health. We recognise that is going to be vital going forwards into the future.

"The banks and financial institutions are all going down the same route. It saves people driving into town, it saves people money and it saves people time, which is so precious to us all.

"But they are entitled to work in the office if they want to."

Chief executive Mr Johnson said staff would be told over the next few weeks whether they would be returning to the office or continuing to work from home, adding there would be "flexibility where needed".

Some staff had raised concerns about the "isolation" of working from home over the last year, he said, but equally others had enjoyed the benefits home working had provided. Mr Johnson said the situation would remain under review at the council which employs around 4,500.

Staff were also told they would be expected to take two Covid tests a week if coming to the Civic Centre and that it should not become "part of the routine".

Tory leader Councillor Thompson is unimpressed with the decision and said: "The Labour Group is in charge of what happens at the Civic Centre and they spent nearly £25m on it. We said at the time were they really thinking ahead because authorities are only becoming smaller.

She added: "There is an awful lot of staff who come from a long way away, as far as Leominster and the Welsh border and you're left to wonder whether they have got an outpost out there."