Council staff normally based at Voreda House have this morning been told to work from home due to flooding in the office areas of the £8.5 million building.
The council informed staff by email this morning that flooding has affected working spaces inside the £8.5 million council offices, forcing staff to work from home while the issue is addressed.
The flooding is understood to have impacted both floors of the building with staff informed they will not be able to even access the building to remove equipment or items.
The council office closure will remain in place “until further notice” staff have been told following the management decision to close the building following the overnight flooding.
Since opening last year, the building has faced a number of problems, including heat issues, flooding in lift shafts, and sewage leaking across carpets. The latest flooding has now left the site out of action once again.
The council has been asked for further details on the flooding and the extent of the damage in response a spokesperson for Westmorland and Furness Council said. “The Facilities Management Team discovered overnight flooding on the first floor of Voreda House, this morning.”
”Our maintenance teams are now working to assess the extent of the issue, but have confirmed that the building will not re-open to staff or members of the public for the rest of the week.”
”We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and remind our customers that, whilst our Penrith based Customer Service Advisors won’t currently be able to help with their enquires in person, they can still access our services over the telephone on 0300 373 3300, or online atwww.westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk.”