A NEW headquarters is to be occupied by Medway Council in 10 months' time, completing a merger of local authorities that began 10 years ago.

The council will move 1,200 staff into the empty Lloyds of London building on the riverside in Dock Road, Chatham.

The council cabinet is expected to rubberstamp the multi-million pound plan on June 5. The final decision will rest with the full council later that month.

The Civic Centre, Strood, and Municipal Buildings, Gillingham, will be sold and the lease on council offices at Chatham Maritime ended. The St George's Centre will be converted for use as a council chamber.

The council's finance portfolio holder, Cllr Alan Jarrett, said the changes would free up £10 million to improve public services between now and 2013, and complete the merger of the old Rochester City and Gillingham Borough councils that began in 1998.

Full story in the Medway Messenger on sale Monday.