A response to a Freedom of information enquiry has revealed scale of sub-letting of Council premises.
At West Offices the following organisations rent space;
- York and District Citizens Advice Bureau – 26 workstations plus associated meeting rooms
- NHS Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group – 105 workstations
- Public Health England – 40 workstations
- Network Rail – 88 workstations
- Probation Service – 31 workstations
- North Yorkshire Police – 12 workstations
It is unclear how the impeding restructuring of Public Health England services will affect current arrangements.
The Council has refused to reveal how much it receives in rent from the tenants.
The intention when moving to West Offices nearly a decade ago was that the Council would release 16 properties that they occupied at that time.
These included De Grey House, Exhibition Square, Mill House, North Street, 10-12 George Hudson Street, York, 20 George Hudson Street, 18 Back Swinegate, 1A & 1B Swinegate East, 1E Swinegate East, 50 York Road, Acomb, St Leonards Place/2 & 4 Museum Street, 11 Little Stonegate, 1 Blake Street, St. Anthony’s House, Clarence Street, Ashbank, 1 Shipton Road, Clifton, York, YO30 5RE. Holly Croft, Wenlock Terrace, Fulford Road,
The Guildhall, St. Helen’s Square, 5-6 King’s Court.
These premises have been vacated although two (Ashbank and the Guildhall) have remained empty incurring continuing costs for taxpayers.
Most staff have not yet returned to work at West Offices following the pandemic.
It remains unclear what proportion of staff will continue to “work from home” in the future. If the number is significant then additional space at West Offices may become available for sub-letting.