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New Morwell Citizen Service Centre opens Tuesday

Morwell Citizen Service Centre to begin operations

By Latrobe City - 22nd January 2003 - Back to News

Latrobe City’s Morwell Citizen Service Centre will begin operations from its new premises in Elgin Street on Tuesday, co-located with the recently opened Morwell Library.

The move makes way for Latrobe City Council to vacate Latrobe House on the corner of Ann Street and Hazelwood Road in Morwell to facilitate development of the new Justice Precinct.

Latrobe City’s Chief Executive Officer, Richard Hancock, said a full range of citizen services would be provided from the new premises. "We wanted to establish a service centre in the Morwell CBD as close as possible to Latrobe House, and the Elgin Street premises fulfils that aim," Mr Hancock said.

"The Citizen Service Centre can comfortably operate in the same building as the Morwell Library without any disruption to the library service. Separate counters will be maintained for the library and for Citizen Services.

"Space will also be available in the library building for other staff who need to meet with citizens in the CBD, as they currently do at Latrobe House. Additionally we can still provide a public toilet and baby change area from there," Mr Hancock said.

Mr Hancock said the Department of Justice had held discussions with Latrobe City last year with a view to Council vacating Latrobe House in late January/early February 2003 for the development of the Justice Precinct. "We have been able to meet that request, and the Department was prepared to assist financially," Mr Hancock said.

"Demolition of the back half of Latrobe House, as well as some other buildings on the site, can commence once we have moved," Mr Hancock explained.

"A number of staff who fulfil administrative roles in the provision of Council services, such as with Local Laws, Preschools, and Aged and Disability Services are also affected by the move from Latrobe House. These staff will be relocated to temporary office premises in the same building as that occupied by GHD-GEO Eng, formerly known as Wing 6, The Ridge, in Morwell. Citizens needing to meet with any of these staff can continue to do so in the Elgin Street premises.

Latrobe City Mayor, Councillor Tony Hanning, said that while the temporary arrangements fulfilled immediate needs, Council looked forward to establishing a permanent presence in the new corporate headquarters to be constructed in Morwell.

Source: www.gippsland.com

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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