Land Registry has announced a five-year programme of reorganisation and transformation that will cut its costs significantly and put it in the best possible position to deliver the services its customers demand. The proposals announced today relate to the first phase of the programme.

The changes will help create a Land Registry that is fit for the future, that can live within its means and that can continue to provide an outstanding service to its customers. Having looked at a range of possibilities, it is proposing to close five local offices and to reduce staff numbers to reflect the move to more online services and the impact of internal efficiency measures. The proposed offices are Croydon, Peterborough, Portsmouth, Stevenage and Tunbridge Wells. It also intends to embark on a programme of outsourcing some of its support functions and to further decrease outgoings by selling surplus property. These changes will together reduce operating costs by about £92m per year, saving some £493m net over ten years, and allow Land Registry to respond faster and more efficiently to future fluctuations in the market.

Land Registry is launching a public consultation focussing on the proposals to close the five local offices. Land Registry is contacting thousands of interested parties, including customers and suppliers to invite them to participate in the consultation. All interested parties are strongly encouraged to participate in the consultation process. The consultation period runs until 29 January 2010.

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Audience:
All customers

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