THE district’s register office could move out of its historic Kidderminster building as part of a county council review aimed at saving cash.

The office at Council Offices, Woodfield, Bewdley Road, is currently being looked at by councillors and staff as part of a council buildings and property review to see if it can save money by merging services into single sites.

The authority must save £80 million by 2016/17, including £30 million during the current financial year, and leaders are desperately looking at where they can cut spending. Residents have been assured by councillors that if the office was moved it would stay in Kidderminster and services would not be affected.

A council spokeswoman said: “As part of the county council’s better use of property programme, we are investigating locations where we can make savings by co-locating our services together in a single building.

“As the registration office is the only occupant of its current building, we are currently investigating alternative locations. However, no alternative has been found. In the event the registration office does move, it will remain in Kidderminster.”

Conservative councillor John Campion, county cabinet member with responsibility for transformation and commissioning, said despite the building’s historical status, he believed residents would rather see the register office’s services retained even if it could not be at Woodfield.

He said: “The county council is focused on getting best use of its property. For me, I think the priority is not getting rid of services.

“The priority for local people is that they are still able to have a register service locally.”