Politicians are being urged to give their backing to plans for a £12 million scheme to develop new council offices.

Bath and North East Somerset Council needs to reduce the number of buildings it occupies and has been looking at a range of options - including the possibility of a £13 million new headquarters on the edge of the city centre.

But its favoured option is to redevelop Keynsham Town Hall into new offices for itself, while creating a new library and visitor centre, offices which could be leased to other organisations, and shops.

The council would keep the Guildhall as its political headquarters - although it may no longer need the whole building.

It would hang onto Lewis House in Manvers Street - which would be refurbished, Northgate House in Upper Borough Walls and The Hollies in Midsomer Norton.

The move would see the authority - which currently has 12 different offices across its district - giving up premises such as Trimbridge House in Trim Street, Plymouth House in Monmouth Street, and Riverside in Keynsham.

It currently employs 1,951 head office staff who share 1,563 desks, but the council’s preferred option would cut work stations to 1,307.

There would also be a 43 per cent reduction in the total space its offices occupy in a move that will eventually save it £1.5 million a year.

The shake-up would take several years to complete but the council’s ruling cabinet is being asked to agree that B&NES should try to find a development partner for the Keynsham redevelopment scheme when it meets next Wednesday.

It is partly being driven by the imminent end of leases on some of the buildings the council currently uses.

A report to the meeting says building a new base in Bath would mean virtually pulling out of Keynsham and create “a significant negative impact” on the town - already hard hit by the rundown of the Cadbury chocolate factory.

Officials have looked at no fewer than 38 different locations in a wide-ranging examination of the council’s options for the future.

The biggest impact would be on the 18th century Guildhall, one of the city’s best-known and most prominent buildings.

A previous council report has suggested that just 20 staff would ultimately remain there and that a property expert would be brought in to identify “alternative and more appropriate uses for the accommodation within the building.”

The report to next week’s meeting does not shed any light on what might happen to the rest of the landmark building although it does say that potential income “from the release and redevelopment of the Guildhall” has not been taken into account in the council’s financial calculations.

The building has in the past been touted as a possible site for a casino.

B&NES says the shake-up will reduce its carbon footprint - cutting energy consumption by up to 70 per cent - free up office space in Bath, and encourage office-sharing with other organisations such as the NHS.

Cabinet member for resources Councillor Malcolm Hanney said: “With the council using significantly less office space by flexible working and other measures, there will be major efficiency savings. Importantly, with huge pressures on public finances, the proposal will see accommodation and service costs go down by 10 per cent a year. This will help the council to protect frontline services as it faces difficult financial pressures.”