The Civic Suite in Rayleigh will undergo a light touch refurbishment to enhance and modernise the existing office space and create additional capacity for meeting room space for councillors and council staff. This follows the recent essential works that allowed the building to reopen to host and webcast council committee meetings last September.
At this week’s meeting of the Strategy, Finance & Policy Committee (Tuesday 29 April), councillors agreed the short-term options for the Civic Suite in Rayleigh, as well as agreeing to extend the council’s primary staff location at the Launchpad in Rochford for an additional year. These decisions were necessary in light of the uncertainty around what Local Government Reform (LGR) will mean for the council but will also maximize the benefits of the Council's asset base and utilise some of the space at the Civic Suite as an interim solution.
At the Committee meeting, councillors agreed the following recommendations:
- To allocate £35,000 from the Investment Fund Reserve for light touch enhancements of the ground floor of the Civic Suite. This will enhance the existing office space and meeting room options for councillors and council staff.
- To carry out a feasibility study and explore additional options for the site that can deliver multiple services for Rochford residents. These options will be presented to a future committee following the Local Government Reform proposal submitted in September 2025.
- Extend stay at The LaunchPad: The Council’s primary staff location will remain at its current interim site, The LaunchPad, for at least an additional year beyond the previously agreed maximum two-year period.
Councillor James Newport, Leader of Rochford District Council and Chair of the Strategy, Finance & Policy Committee, said: “With the uncertainty around Local Government Reorganisation, we need to carefully consider where to best use council resources and assets to ensure maximum benefits for our residents. Our short-term priority now is to ensure that the Civic Suite site is utilised in a way that maximizes space for council business, for example the chamber for council meetings and some meeting space for our councillors and staff, to reduce the need for additional costs that come with booking meeting rooms at other locations, like the Launchpad.
“Until we know more about what Local Government Reorganisation will mean for the council, it also makes sense for us to extend our back-office service provision at the Launchpad in Rochford for another year to take us up to 2027. Our staff have been working from there since last summer and it’s going well.
“The next step for the Civic Suite will be for us to explore the long-term options so that we create a sustainable and valuable asset for our community. These options will come to a future committee so that councillors can make informed decisions."