PLANS to close the Caerphilly council offices in Pontllanfraith could see around 400 jobs moved to other parts of the county borough from February 2016.

The council's policy and scrutiny committee agreed at a special meeting to support the closure, among a range of savings proposed in the 2015/16 budget.

But Pontllanfraith's three county borough councillors - Mike Adams, Colin Gordon and Gez Kirby - are against the proposal, fearing it could affect Islwyn residents who use services at Ty Pontllanfraith.

Councillor Kirby, who spoke at the committee meeting, and also believes a move will hit the local economy, said: "We all recognise our council's need to make savings because of the Tory Westminster government's cuts.

"But people in Pontllanfraith and across Islwyn value access to council services at Pontllanfraith House.

"I hope Islwyn residents will have their say about this plan in response to our council's public consultation on budget proposals, before a final decision is made."

That decision is due next February, when the council meets to set its 2015/16 budget, and if agreed, Ty Pontllanfraith, built in 1977, will close in February 2016.

Council spending must be cut by around £40 million during the next three years, and closing the Pontllanfraith offices is an attractive proposal for two key financial reasons.

Moving the services currently provided there will, according to a policy and scrutiny committee report, save £736,000 a year in running and other costs, while a cleared site "has the potential for sale as a highly desirable residential development site" with a maximum £2.5m value.

It is proposed that should the decision to close be ratified, then services provided there - public protection, planning and countryside, public and community services, housing, and engineering and transportation - would be moved to existing sites in Tredomen, Penmaen, and Tir-y-Berth.

The report does not mention redundancies. Housing, planning and countryside, and public protection staff would relocate to Tredomen Business Park, community and leisure staff to Tir-y-berth, and engineering services staff to nearby Penmaen, also in Pontllanfraith.

The report acknowledges that while there may be some concerns for some service users, the offices are not used by the general public in great numbers, while modern technology enables people to communicate with the council in other ways, and there are other council offices in the area.

It also highlights "a significant and high cost repair liability" for Ty Pontllanfraith, and a move could avoid £5m in refurbishment costs.