Uttlesford District Council is opening two new additional offices, at Little Canfield Business Park and Walpole Meadows in Stansted, for desk-based staff in the coming weeks.

The main council building at London Road, Saffron Walden was reopened to staff generally at the end of May after being closed during the Covid-19 pandemic. Staff will have the option to work from any of the three sites.

The council introduced a new hybrid model of working, meaning staff can mix going into the office with working from home.

The customer service reception desk was reopened to the public last year.

Cllr Petrina Lees, Leader of the Council, said: “I would like to say a huge thank you to all our staff who despite the challenges have continued to provide vital services for our communities throughout the pandemic.

"Staff who have worked remotely over the past two years will have felt the isolation, so being able to get back into the office and all the benefits that come with that, is a positive and welcome move.

“Many other councils now operate differently and offer their staff a mix of home and office-based working, and our staff have told us that they want that flexibility as well.

“Moving to this model not only allows us to be an agile workforce, which is sensible in light of recent experience, it means we can balance the health and wellbeing of staff with the needs of the business and our customers, as well as factor in the broader impacts on the local economy and environment.”