Temporary accommodation secured for Council staff
Hundreds of Lake Macquarie City Council staff will have a temporary new home for the next six months following the administrative centre fire in November.
CEO Morven Cameron said a former Ausgrid administration building on Douglas Street, Wallsend, would provide a base for about 400 indoor workers until the Speers Point building’s repair and refit is completed later this year.
“Furnished buildings with such a large capacity within or close to Lake Macquarie are hard to come by, so we’ve been very fortunate to secure this location for our staff,” Ms Cameron said.
“The cost of renting the temporary premises is covered under Council’s insurance policy and will therefore not create an additional impost on ratepayers.”
Council’s Customer Service Centre, open to walk-in enquiries, will continue to operate from Speers Point Library, while a third site on Hillsborough Road, Warners Bay, will act as a base for the Mayor and Councillors, and a spot for development application pre-lodgement meetings and meetings with key stakeholders.
“This will allow us to continue hosting important stakeholder meetings within our LGA until the Speers Point administrative centre reopens,” Ms Cameron said.
Work is progressing steadily on repairing damage caused by the 27 November fire, which NSW Police are treating as an alleged arson attack.
“I’d like to thank not only the police working tirelessly on this case, but to all our staff who have had to readapt to working from home,” Ms Cameron said.
“We are also very grateful for the community’s patience and understanding during this unfortunate disruption.”
Council staff started moving into their temporary digs earlier this month, with all remaining staff who worked previously at the administrative centre moving into the building this week.
