Colchester Council is investigating a money-spinning efficiency drive to sell off some or all of its many offices and move under one roof - possibly at the Royal London building.

Steve Clarke, of the council's estates department, said he thought the sprawling office building, dubbed "Colchester's other castle," was one of the most likely candidates for a combined council office of the future.

"I think having a combined building as a general principle is something we would like to work towards," he said.

The head of estates and economic services then confirmed the council could be looking to sell off some of its five offices across the town in a package potentially worth millions of pounds.

And reports currently being circulated among council members suggest further savings could be made by having all council departments in one building.

Even the possibility of selling off the Town Hall has been looked at, but this is thought to be unlikely.

But from his own office in the Town Hall Mr Clarke was at pains to point out nothing had been confirmed yet and final decisions would have to wait until council staff restructuring had been finalised.

A spokesman for Royal London said the company was "actively marketing" the five-storey Middleborough building after the insurance giant moved the majority of its operations Cheshire.

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