A GOVERNMENT office is set to close in Warrington - with staff forced to relocate miles away.

The Government has announced plans to close Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government offices in six locations, including Warrington.

It will happen in the next two years and will affect around 60 members of staff at the Warrington office.

MHCLG spokesperson said: “We want to create a more coherent office estate with strong, sizeable office communities across a mixture of larger offices, place-based offices, and specialist sites. 

“The department will continue to have offices in every English region, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and all staff affected will be able to continue in their roles in one of these locations.”

It is understood there will be no compulsory redundancies as part of these changes and the government will be supporting people to continue in their roles effectively. This will be discussed with the individuals impacted.

The department will create a larger office in Manchester and retain one in Liverpool.

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Union chiefs were told this week and urgent meetings have been demanded.

A spokesperson from the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union said: “It is unacceptable for these decisions to be announced without proper consultation.

"We demand an urgent meeting with management to discuss what is a very serious situation that will affect up to 400 of our members across the country.”

'Unnecessary decision'

Shadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Kevin Hollinrake MP, branded the Labour Government’s decision as “unnecessary and ideologically driven” and said it would have a hugely negative impact on the six areas affected.

“Rather than moving thousands of jobs out of  Westminster to talented people right across the country, as the previous Conservative Government did, Labour seem intent on removing these opportunities to really level up the country,” Kevin Hollinrake said.

“Not only does this unnecessary and ideologically driven decision affect the lives of people doing valuable and diligent work in these six offices but there is a wider and detrimental economic effect on the communities they are in.

“Now people face having to uproot their lives and those of their families, while the Labour Government shows it does not care about levelling-up and tackling regional inequalities across the United Kingdom.

“What signal does this give to Birmingham, Exeter, Truro, Sheffield, Warrington and Newcastle where these offices are being closed? And what about Labour’s policy towards local councils with the closure of these Local Government offices?

“To me it says this Labour Government does not care about these communities or the people living and working there.”