A local politician has critisised Conwy Council for allowing low occupancy rates to continue in council buildings including Colwyn Bay's Coed Pella citing concerns about impact on council tax payers.

A Freedom of Information Request made by Aberconwy MS Janet Finch-Saunders has disclosed that the Conwy County Borough Council staff occupancy figures for Bodlondeb and Coed Pella between Monday 17 October 2022 and Friday 21 October 2022 reached a peak of less than 40%, with an average weekly occupancy of 33%.

Out of 958 possible occupancies across the two sites, the highest peak number of staff was Tuesday 18 October.  On this day, 363 members of staff were working within the offices, the equivalent of 38%.

For the new Coed Pella building which costs £1.45 million a year in rent, the peak occupancy is 36.25% out of a possible 720 staff, with a maximum of 261 members of staff present in the building on Tuesday 18 October.

Commenting on the lack of use of the Local Authority’s flagship buildings, Mrs. Finch-Saunders said: "Covid regulations have long finished, and as such there is no legal requirement to work from home.

"Last July I implored the new Cabinet of Conwy County Borough Council to consider reviewing their hybrid working system, and get the staff and Councillors back into the buildings. 

"When considering the serious impact the properties, especially Coed Pella, have on tax payers money, it is unacceptable that the Local Authority, post-Covid, has not made full use of the facilities.

"Should the pattern of low occupancy continue, I urge the Cabinet to consider allowing private businesses to use some of the office space so that some income can possibly be had from what is turning out to be a bad investment."

Conwy Council has been approached for comment.