Moray Council annexe building to reopen
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Moray Council's annexe building on Elgin High Street is finally set to open again from Tuesday.
However, the location will no longer be a 'public access point' as it was termed before the pandemic.
While forms and documents can be dropped off at the re-opened location, the public will have to pre-book appointments to get help and advice from council staff on matters such as housing, benefits and finance.
The annexe building will be open from 8.45am-5pm on week days.
Allied to that, a number of 'information hubs' are also set to open within council libraries.
A council spokesperson said: "Some libraries are open until 8pm and at weekends.
"This will offer more flexibility for residents with traditional working hours to drop off forms, access information on council services, receive support with completing online forms and to use a free phone to call the council’s contact centre during its opening hours."
The first information hub will open within Elgin library on Tuesday, with the second at Forres library the following Monday.
Hubs are due to open in Buckie and Keith libraries later this year, and in Moray's remaining libraries during 2023, following the recruitment and training of staff.
Bridget Mustard (Heldon and Laich, Conservative) chairs Moray Council’s corporate committee.
She said: "Wherever possible we encourage contact by phone or online as these are easy, less expensive and offer better value for money for residents.
"However we know some residents are keen to access and get information about council services in person once again, after the extended closure.
"Through the opening of the reception and information hubs, more residents will be able to do so in their own communities, and outwith the traditional opening hours the council operated its former access points.
"I’m pleased that the return of face-to-face contact through the reception and information hubs will provide a more flexible and accessible service to the public."
The £4million annexe building was officially opened in March 2012.
This followed 18 months of work to convert the site which had previously been a Safeway supermarket.
The move brought together in a single office about 200 council staff who had previously worked at more than a dozen buildings around Moray.
At the time, it was billed as offering taxpayers a better and more flexible service with modern and up-to-date interview rooms and facilities.
