HMRC has issued a statement on rumours of redundancies at its newly-opened Nottingham tower. HMRC and its cleaning service provider Sodexo have released statements after anonymous sources claimed more than 20 redundancies would be made at Unity Square, next to Nottingham train station on Queensbridge Road.
HMRC says extra cleaners had been employed by suppliers Sodexo at their nine-storey office building, which opened in April, to carry out an enhanced cleaning service introduced in response to the Covid pandemic. But Government guidance now no longer requires HMRC to provide enhanced cleaning services.
As a result Sodexo said it would have to review its "current structure and the realistic demand for our services". A spokesperson for HMRC said: “Extra cleaners have been employed at our Unity Square office by our facilities management suppliers Sodexo, to enable them to deliver the enhanced cleaning service introduced in response to the pandemic. This enhanced cleaning regime, which was temporarily implemented in our buildings, is no longer required.
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“Elements of enhanced cleaning have been incorporated into our core cleaning standard, which is in line with current government guidance. Details of this change have also been shared with departmental trade unions.”
Sodexo did not confirm redundancies but said it had started consultations with employees about the "changes we have to make". A Sodexo spokesperson said: “In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, an enhanced cleaning service was requested by our client at their Unity Square Office, we employed extra cleaners to provide this service. However, that enhanced cleaning requirement is no longer needed and we have reviewed our current structure and the realistic demand for our services.
"We have begun the consultations with our colleagues regarding the changes we have to make, and we will support them through this uncertain time. Until this process has concluded it would be inappropriate to comment further."
Around 5,000 Government staff work at Unity Square. Most work for HMRC, but a number work as civil servants for other Government departments.
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