THE THREE local housing offices in the Three Towns will be closing next year and will be centralized to the redeveloped Saltcoats Town Hall on completion.

Proposals for this were given to local Tenant and Resident Association back in 2013 but the council confirmed that the moves would be going ahead this week.

This means that Ardrossan’s Glasgow Street office, the office in Vernon Street in Saltcoats and the building near to Stevenston Library will become empty in early 2016.

A North Ayrshire Council spokesperson said: “We can confirm that the local housing offices for the Three Towns will be relocated into the newly-redeveloped Saltcoats Town Hall when it re-opens at the start of 2016. Local Tenant and Resident Association operating in the Three Towns areas were notified of the proposals in April 2013.

“Staff will move over from their existing offices. There will be no job losses. The Town Hall will host functions, including weddings, as well as providing modern up-to-date office and customer service facilities to provide even better and more comprehensive services for our communities.

“The existing local housing offices will be closed and actively marketed as part of our on-going Asset Management Strategy.” Cunninghame North MSP, Kenneth Gibson, commented: “Saltcoats Town Hall has long been a focal point for the town and putting it back into productive as well as a social use is a very positive step.

“It is unfortunate that the closure of Ardrossan and Stevenston offices will mean some folk having to travel further, however the savings North Ayrshire Council will make on the properties and utilities will be reinvested in improving local services. “It also means that specialist housing services can be focused in one place, whilst retaining all of the staff is also very good news.” For the full story see this week's Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald.