Liberal Democrats tell council to sell Moorfoot now as it struggles to balance budget

The landmark pyramid-shaped council offices in the city centre have been earmarked for housing in the long-awaited draft local plan.

Moving out of the site – which first opened in 1981 – is due to save the council £2.5 million a year and provide around 714 new homes but as it stands this will take some time.

Councillor Shaffaq Mohammed, leader of Sheffield Liberal Democrats and member of the finance sub committee, said it should have happened “yesterday” and the authority needs to “get cracking”.

He said: “I would have liked this to be done much earlier, when the move to hybrid working was made permanent. We have been under-occupying these buildings since the start of the pandemic, which was an incredibly bad use of taxpayer money from day one.

“With the council overspending, when we are offered £2.5 million worth of savings with very little downside, it’s something that we absolutely must do.

“I welcome this proposal and wish the officers luck, and hope that now they have approval they can get on with it and vacate the building as soon as possible, rather than waiting for the start of the new financial year in April. Any savings that we can realise now will help to plug the huge financial overspend the council’s currently facing.”

Why Sheffield Council is leaving Moorfoot

Vacating the offices will save the council on energy and maintenance and provide a big space to help meet the city’s housing need.

Council offices such as Moorfoot have been used less since the Covid-19 pandemic.

Staff working in the building now will be moved to offices in the Town Hall and Howden House.

Following approval by the finance sub committee, the council will now consult further with stakeholders and Moorfoot staff before the move.

Coun Mazher Iqbal, co-chair of the regeneration committee, said the authority had worked with Homes England on the scheme for a year.

He said the new homes would be a mix of tenures, including social housing, and the plan includes opening up the route between the Moor and London Road.