City CEO Tim Baker shares update on workforce being moved out of Nerang into Bundall
One of the city’s most famous buildings will be abandoned to save $93 million. Here is what it means for the building, surrounding suburb and those who work in it
Gold Coast
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The Gold Coast’s second biggest workforce will be moved out of an historic ageing office and depots will be closed in an accommodation overhaul which will save ratepayers up to $93 million.
The Bulletin can reveal full details of the reforms after councillors at a full council meeting on Tuesday went to a closed session for a marathon and often intense session.
Some of the debate on the confidential report focused on the Nerang office, which was the headquarters for the Albert Shire Council before amalgamation with Gold Coast City in 1995.
Councillor Peter Young, who is based at Nerang, was the only representative to comment after the session went briefly into open.
He said there were aspects of the decision which were “considerable” and it was important to “get behind the CEO”.
City CEO Tim Baker said on Wednesday the move would in no way impact community and customer services in Nerang and would provide an opportunity to immediately investigate a community hub at the site.
The other key element of the plan would see the number of large depots around the city reduced from five to three, he said.
Mr Baker confirmed consultation with staff would begin next week about the proposed changes.
He said reforms would save approximately $93 million over 10 years with a decision to be made next year about assets that would be left vacant due to these changes.
“We undertook a comprehensive accommodation review because staff told me they were unsatisfied with the current state and that in some cases the environment was not conducive to high performance or morale,” Mr Baker said.
“The review determined that not only is the Nerang administration building no longer fit-for-purpose, but we are under-utilising our Bundall offices and our five large depots.
“Like most large workforces we have moved to more flexible working arrangements, which means that on any given day a percentage of our workforce is working from home.
“The savings mean we can invest in both our residents with a new community hub proposed for Nerang and also our staff by creating better work environments.”
He said the review also found that there was no longer a need for five large depots across the Gold Coast.
“By paring that back to just three and increasing the number of smaller “satellite” depots, we can provide a higher level of customer service, more efficiently.”
Key parts of the 10 year plan include:
* All staff currently located in the Nerang precinct, including the Administration Office and the Bicentennial building, will be moved to Bundall with no impacts on services.
* Division 5 and 8 Councillor offices will remain in the Nerang precinct
* An immediate investigation into creating a community hub in the Nerang precinct will get underway immediately.
* Consolidation of the City’s large depots from five to three with the Pimpama, Carrara, and Tugun Depots to remain.
* The creation of new satellite depots at strategic locations across the city utilising Council land holdings.
It is understood the Nerang Bicentennial building will remain but requires upgrades.
Apart from the expense of upgrading older offices, council continues to be confronted with the challenge of getting staffers to return to work after the Covid pandemic.
The council has the largest workforce other than Queensland Health on the Coast.
The councillor vote to support the changes was unanimous.
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