The contractor AW Edwards and sub-contractors are on site today Friday (May 8) to undertake preliminary inspections and investigations, with work to get underway in earnest next week.

Council formally executed the contract for the conversion of the former Masters site to council's head office to AW Edwards earlier this week. This follows a resolution from the elected council last month to enter into negotiations with the preferred tenderer.

A fence will be erected around the site, to allow workers to undertake a number of tasks including removal of some elements of the facade and removal of some parts of the roof to allow for structural work to be undertaken.

Mayor David West said he was pleased to see work start.

"This is a significant project and we are pleased to get underway to be able to meet our end goal of delivering services more effectively and efficiently for our community," Mayor West said.

"I am very pleased to see us move forward on this project and at the same time be able to provide a positive impact on our local economy through this trying time."

Mayor West said the project will provide employment opportunities to local sub-contractors over the coming months.

The tender which has been accepted will see the project completed under the original budget of $20 million, placing council in a more favourable budget condition than originally forecast.

Mayor West said that while COVID-19 has been a factor in the discussions with the contractor, it was anticipated the project would be completed in the original timeframe, allowing staff to occupy the building during January 2021.

For more information on council's head office project, go to www.midcoast.nsw.gov.au/headoffice

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