Hawke's Bay Regional Council staff are on the move to their new office building at 159 Dalton Street in Napier. The council closes at 3pm today and staff will start moving their immediate files and effects to the new building just over the road. Staff will be contactable by phone, email andfax from Monday morning but the office will not be open to the public until Wednesday morning. "We tried to avoid closing the office as the public need access to our services, but it was unavoidable and we apologise for the inconvenience to people making inquiries or paying rates," chief executive Andrew Caseley said. For the first time since the regional council was established in 1989, all the main office staff - just over 100 scientists, planners, engineers, consents and compliance officers, biosecurity staff finance and administration staff will be in the same building. The new building comes at the end of many years looking first for a suitable existing building and then for a building site, to accommodate staff who have been working in six buildings. Last year council made the decision to build, and construction started in November 2004. "With all staff and council facilities under one roof, it will be much easier for staff to work together and for public making inquiries, paying rates and attending council meetings," Mr Caseley said. The new council chamber is larger and designed to be practical for various sized meetings and hearings. Mr Caseley said the public are welcome to attend meetings from 31 January 2006 and take a look at the new building. The official opening has not been confirmed but will be early in 2006.
