DORSET County Council is saving £280,000 a year by squeezing its staff into smaller spaces and getting them to share desks and chairs.

The ‘hot desk’ principle, which has also involved the sale of some buildings, has seen a 35 per cent reduction in the council’s overall floor area.

It means average floor space per employee has gone down from 15.4 square metres in 2015 to 9.59 square metres today.

Sales of surplus buildings have brought in just over £1 million with a further £3 million thought likely between now and April 2019.

However, a report to the cabinet on Wednesday, October 17, says the work to refurbish and reconfigure offices has cost £1.82 million so far with more work yet to be completed at the Wareham local office, the South Annexe at County Hall and in Christchurch.