At yesterday’s (4th September) meeting of Council, elected members unanimously backed proposals to exercise our right to purchase Pullar House and the neighbouring Kinnoull Street multi-storey car park when the current lease ends next year.
As part of our Working Smarter project a review of our current office accommodation needs has included exploring the potential to bring more public sector partners in to Pullar House to create a Public Sector Hub to support cross-team working and provide a one-stop-shop to local residents. And this is the approach Councillors have approved.
There are already a number of internal and external partners who are successfully co-located within Pullar House and could continue to contribute to a Public Sector Hub for the benefit of multi-disciplinary cross-working and improved customer service:
•Health and Social Care Partnership
•Perth and Kinross Countryside Trust
•Social Security Scotland
•Visit Scotland
As you’ll be aware NHS Tayside Vaccination Services relocated to Pullar House in July on a short-term lease and have indicated their expectation to extend this commitment on a cost sharing basis, subject to government direction of travel and continued centralisation approach.
The Scottish Government have also stated the public service hub proposal aligns with the Scottish Government Single Scottish Estate (SSE) programme and have provided in principle support to co-locating within Pullar House on a cost sharing basis when appropriate agreements are reached.
A range of other public sector partners have provided a high-level commitment to the principle of co-location but have been unable to give a firm commitment before yesterday’s decision to purchase the building. Now that Council have approved the plan to purchase the building these opportunities will be followed up.
The Working Smarter project will now progress to implementing the decision of Council, including carrying out further work with Strategic Leads and teams about how we use our office accommodation to support new ways of working. Look out for more information in the coming months.