THE Number of people using Fife Council offices have continued to decline.

Inverkeithing Civic Centre has been revealed as the most under-used office space with an average attendance rate of 20 per cent.

Members of Fife Council's finance, economy and corporate services scrutiny committee were told that the local authority's corporate office utilisation varied between just 22 and 64 per cent this year. 

Those decline comes despite the closure of New City House and Rothesay House over the last year.  “It’s likely that further rationalisation will be required,” said Michael O’Gorman, Fife’s service manager for assets and estates.

A committee report added: “It’s evident that the adoption of the home/office blended working has caused the corporate offices to remain significantly underutilised. [It] will necessitate further shrinkage of the operational office estate.” 

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According to the report, average weekly utilisation remains low with daily attendance ranging from 15 per cent to 81 per cent. 

While Inverkeithing Civic Centre was the most under-utilised office space, Cupar County Buildings was not far behind with a 22 per cent utilisation rate, and Halbeath Depot in Dunfermline is the third least utilised with 30 per cent. 

As one of the emptiest buildings in the council’s portfolio, Mr O’Gorman said Fife is currently commissioning a feasibility study to look at the future of the County Buildings. 

On the other end of the scale, Buckhaven Burgh Chambers, Carberry House Leven, and Dunfermline City Chambers are the most utilised council offices with 64 per cent, 61 per cent and 55 per cent utilisation respectively. 

Moving forward, Eileen Rowand, Fife’s executive director for finance and corporate services, said these empty buildings are presenting a significant financial challenge. 

“It’s clear we have too many assets and in the current climate it’s challenging to maintain and improve them with the limited funds we have,” she said. 

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Mr Paul’s report added: “In the light of the utilisation findings, opportunities for further rationalisation, intensification of use and disposal within the corporate office estate will be explored over the coming year.” 

The report also anticipated that “additional areas of the council’s property portfolio will be the subject of utilisation studies, including leisure and community facilities."

That particular line raised alarm bells for Councillor Bailey-Lee Robb (SNP for Cowdenbeath). 

However, Mr O’Gorman assured him that the council has “no intention to close any community facilities at the moment”. 

“We need to carry out reviews and we need to better understand utilisation,” he said.

“If there are a number of facilities in a community that aren’t being used, it probably makes sense for them and us to look at the scope to consolidate. However, I don’t anticipate a point where we’d be closing every facility in a locality.” 

He continued: “And we’re some time away from closing anything at all. Please be assured that we will not be making decisions without understanding the facts first and holding a consultation.” 

This is not the first time councillors have heard about reducing Fife’s assets and estates portfolio. 

Last year, the committee reviewed Fife’s assessment management strategy which first revealed plans to “rationalise” the council’s office space through the termination of leases, sales, and demolitions. 

Some of those actions have already come to pass. For example, the council has terminated the New City House lease in Dunfermline and Kingdom House and Rothesay House have both been demolished. 

The council has also invited partner organisations to take up office space to fill up buildings. 

According to the report, Police Scotland have taken up additional space at Brunton House Cowdenbeath; Nature Scot moved into Cupar County Buildings with 18 staff in July; and NHS Fife began moving staff into reconfigured space at Fife House and Bankhead in August. 

Regardless, councillors were told on Thursday that the work to rationalise council estates and offices will continue to “intensify” throughout the coming year.