Relocation Information

Aims
The aim of the scheme is to minimise the financial burden of relocating to the Gloucester area to take up employment with Gloucester City Council and enable employees to settle into their new job as quickly as possible.

Conditions
The scheme only applies to those posts that have been authorised as eligible for "Relocation Assistance" by the justification panel.  If managers think that paying relocation expenses are essential to attract the right candidate for the job, they will be required to provide evidence as part of the justification process.

The employee must meet all the Relocation Scheme Conditions to qualify for any payment under the scheme.

Payment
Encouragement is given to relocate to within the City Boundary by offering higher allowable expenses.  The level of expenses are also governed by the classification of the employee's home before and after transfer

1. For employees moving to a permanent address within the City Boundary

• Up to £5000 to employees moving from owner to owner occupied accommodation.
• Up to £3500 to employees moving from rented to owner occupied and from owner occupied to rented accommodation.
• Up to £1500 to employees moving from rented to rented accommodation.

2. For employees moving to a permanent address within 20 miles radius of Gloucester Cross but outside the City Boundary

• Up to £2500 to employees moving from owner to owner occupied accommodation.
• Up to £1750 to employees moving from rented to owner occupied and from owner occupied to rented accommodation.
• Up to £750 to employees moving from rented to rented accommodation.

The above payments will be made for first homes deemed sole residence only. There will be no payments for temporary and second homes whether rented or purchased.

Payment up to the appropriate maximum is made on production of receipts towards the following disbursements:

• Temporary accommodation / rental costs for employees moving from owner occupied to owner occupied accommodation
• Travelling expenses to search for accommodation in Gloucester (does not include travelling from Temporary or New Home to work)
• Legal fees associated with renting and/or conveyancing
• Estate agent fees
• Survey fees
• Search fees
• Stamp duty
• Building society fees
• Storage fees
• Removal of furniture and personal effects

All claims must be supported with receipts.

No payments will be made for rent or mortgage repayments at the new accommodation, however, where the main residence remains unsold, temporary lodging expenses may be claimed under "temporary accommodation" as above.
 
THE RELOCATION SCHEME CONDITIONS

All the conditions below must be met for any payment under the scheme

1. The post must have been authorised as eligible for "relocation assistance" by the justification panel.
2. The employment contract must be for a permanent position or for a fixed term of three years or more.
3. The employee must move at least 25 miles in the direction of Gloucester.
4. The employee must move to a permanent address within 20-miles radius of Gloucester Cross.
5. The employee must make a permanent move within 12 months of starting in post. In exceptional cases this period may be extended by written agreement with the Cost Centre Manager and Corporate Personnel Services subject to Inland Revenue Regulations. The onus is on the employee to obtain the necessary Inland Revenue extension.  If an employee does not move within 12 months and has not agreed an extension, any payment received under the scheme will be repaid in full.
6. The scheme is limited to one member of each household. No payment will be made to an employee whose partner or other member of the household has already obtained employment in the area and has been eligible to receive financial assistance from another source. Where the payment received from the other source is less than the maximum payable under this scheme, consideration may be given for re-imbursement of elements of expenditure that fall within the remit of this scheme, by agreement of the Resource Manager, Corporate Personnel. The overall payment to the employee's household shall not exceed the maximum under our scheme.
7. An employee applying for relocation assistance is required to declare on the Relocation Plan the amount of relocation expenses/assistance if any that is being received by other members of the family/household from another source. A false declaration is a disciplinary offence that could lead to summary dismissal.
8. No payment will be made unless a Relocation Plan has been agreed and signed.
9. Payments will be made for first homes deemed sole residence only. There will be no payments for temporary and second homes whether rented or purchased.
10. If the employee ceases employment with the Council voluntarily, he/she will repay to the Council on the following scale.

Within the first year  full reimbursement
Within the second year  ⅔ reimbursement
Within the third year  ⅓ reimbursement less 1/12 for each full month over 24.

Monies due to the council in this way will be deducted from last pay.  Where the pay is not sufficient to cover the balance, the employee will have to pay back to the Council any outstanding monies due before his/her last actual day of attendance at work.

No claims will be paid unless supported by receipts

A Pen Picture of the City of Gloucester

The Cathedral City of Gloucester, the County Town of Gloucestershire, is situated in the Severn Vale. It is a cosmopolitan city providing for a variety of tastes and interests.

The city lies on the main A40 route from London and southern England to South Wales, and it enjoys very good communications with the cities of Bristol (35 miles to the south west) and Birmingham (52 miles to the north), both via the M5 motorway. The M4 motorway is also easily accessible and the city has good rail and bus services.

The city offers a variety of modern shopping facilities with national name stores in a pedestrianised shopping core, shopping malls, a covered market, and specialised craft shops and restaurants. Alternative shopping centres are easily accessible in Cheltenham, Bath, Bristol and Birmingham. The city has four museums, a thriving Arts Centre, a multi-plex cinema, and many sites and buildings of historic interest. The City's Leisure Centre, GL1, has recently undergone a £15m rebuild, it now includes a 25m, 8 lane international competition standard swimming pool, gymnastics and martial arts areas and bowls, squash, badminton and ball sports facilities.

Gloucester is also a thriving tourism centre, with its main attractions being the renowned Cathedral and the recently refurbished Gloucester Docks. The award-winning Docks development, where the Council's main offices are located, was inspired and led by the City Council. It now offers a thriving collection of shops, museums, restaurants and offices, with further development and attractions planned.

Surrounding the city are the varied landscapes of the Severn Vale, the Cotswolds, the Forest of Dean and the Wye Valley, providing walks, sports and other countryside enjoyments.

The city is a major employment centre in the county, providing employment opportunities for a large catchment area with a good mix of commercial and industrial premises.

The city has a population of about 105k, is multi-cultural with 7% ethnic minorities boasting a selection of multi-cultural entertainments, restaurants and events.

The outstanding working environment of the refurbished Dockside warehouse buildings provides perhaps the best illustration of the Council's vision and commitment to the city.