Staff at the soon-to-be closed assessor’s office in Dundee have hit out after being told they will be relocated to Forfar.
The Tayside Joint Valuation Board voted in favour of closing the Yeaman Shore office last month, transferring the 25 jobs to the Angus town.
Now staff from the Dundee office have written an open letter outlining their anger at the move.
The letter, addressed to Clerk to the Board Roger Mennie, says the staff feel “very strongly” against the decision.
The staff say the closure sends out a “clear message of no confidence” in the councillors on the Tayside Valuation Joint Board.
The letter outlined several points they wish to be addressed and more information on how the decision came to be made, given it has a “massive devastating” impact on Dundee Division workers.
Public transport to Forfar was another issue highlighted, with the letter stating some staff would need to travel on “three or four” busses a day to get to Forfar’s Orchardbank. Parking spaces there are said to be limited.
And they are of the opinion, given the “lack of information” provided, the savings that will be made do not take into account the “total disruption” to Dundee workers.
The board currently has three offices covering Tayside – in Dundee, Perth and Forfar.
The six Dundee councillors on the board voted to retain the Dundee office but were outvoted by the nine other board members, who represent Angus and Perth and Kinross councils.
The Tayside Joint Valuation Board comprises 15 councillors: six from Dundee, four from Angus and five from Perth and Kinross.
Although the move will not involve any job losses, city staff will have to transfer to Forfar.
The assessor is responsible for setting council tax valuation bands and rateable Values of properties.
The move will make Dundee the only major city in Scotland without an assessor’s presence.
The lease on the Dundee office is thought to expire in May, with staff needing to be moved by then.
Broughty Ferry Conservative councillor Philip Scott said the Dundee members had fought to keep the Yeaman Shore office open but had been outvoted.
He said: “The Dundee people did try to stop it. There were financial issues and it will save the taxpayer money but it is disappointing it is leaving Dundee after all this time.”
A Dundee City Council spokeswoman said: “We have received a letter and the clerk will reply in due course.”
