MP urges council staff to 'get back to the office' after residents' complaints
A Labour MP has urged council staff in Walsall to return to face-to-face working after residents complained about poor access to services.
Valerie Vaz said her constituents in Walsall South had said they were "no longer able to contact the council" due to staff working from home since the pandemic.
Only a quarter of staff currently work each day at Walsall Council's main headquarters, the Civic Centre on Darwall Street, which closed its doors at the start of the lockdown in March 2020.
Ms Vaz said it was time for a return to "usual service" and for office working to become "the norm" again.
The MP quizzed Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove over local authorities returning to town halls following the pandemic.
In his reply he said that as restrictions were no longer in force it was down to individual councils to determine their own working arrangements – with a return to usual service being the norm.
Ms Vaz said: "I am pleased the Minister confirmed that local authorities are in a position to determine their own working arrangements and a return to usual service can be expected.
"Many constituents have complained to me that they are no longer able to contact the council. In fact, most council officers are still working from home.
"People need to speak to officers directly rather than online and many senior citizens are not familiar with online working.
"The council should return to face to face working with my constituents who need information such as benefits and cost of living support. As the minister has confirmed this is "the norm": that is what the town hall is for."
Conservative council leader Mike Bird recently told the Star there were no plans to increase the number of staff based in the Civic Centre.
He said: "The Civic Centre is open on a daily basis and is still used for meetings, but as with other councils across the country, working from home has become the norm.
"Managers are now instructed to make sure that staff come in on a rota basis so there’s always somebody in from most of the departments."
Mr Bird has suggested the site could be sold off to help balance the books.
