250 jobs to go as Government confirms BIS office closure

AROUND 250 jobs are to be lost in Sheffield after the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) confirmed plans to close its office in the city and move the work to London.

The government said relocating the office to the capital would help save around £350m by 2020.

 

Staff based in Sheffield will be offered financial help if they choose to relocate to the capital, it said.

“This forms part of wider BIS 2020 plans to modernise the way the department works to become smaller, more responsive and efficient, as well as saving around £350m for the taxpayer by 2020 in operational costs,” the statement read.

“The decision was made following consideration of alternative options and consultation with staff and the departmental Trade Unions, which ended on May 2.”

It said that everyone affected will be able to stay in post in their current location until January 2018 and if they choose to take up a post in London there will be financial assistance for travel available for the first three years. More than 80% of BIS staff will still be based outside the capital.

Permanent secretary Martin Donnelly said: “Creating one policy centre in London and closing the BIS office in Sheffield in 2018 is a decision that has not been made lightly. It remains our top priority that staff are fully supported and briefed on what this means for them and their options.

“We have talked and listened to staff and unions. Making a decision which impacts on people’s lives and families is never easy.”

The Public and Commercial Services Union called it a “shameful decision”.

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