Legal and General staff balloted over Kingswood closure plan

Staff at Legal and General's Surrey base are being balloted about possible strike action over the company's plans to close the office.

In August, the firm said the Kingswood campus, which employs 1,700 people, could close in 2017.

It said the "vast majority" of the jobs would be transferred to its Hove and Cardiff offices but union Unite said members would not be able to relocate.

The union has called on the firm to commit to "serious consultation".

"The company claim the 'vast majority' of the 1,700 workforce can be relocated to Hove, Cardiff and London; however, both sites have less than 450 free desks combined. The numbers simply do not add up," said regional officer Ian Methven.

"It's time for Legal and General to stop trying to mislead staff, admit that we are talking about over a thousand potential job losses and commit to serious consultation."

The Kingswood campus is set in 50 acres of countryside and has a sports hall, staff gym, swimming pool and tennis courts.

Unite said the "consultative ballot" over possible strike action would end on 16 September and it would then "ballot for full industrial action" unless Legal and General changed its stance.

"Legal and General has started consultation with Unite, that could potentially result with the Kingswood office being closed in 2017.

"If that were to happen, then the vast majority of the roles in Kingswood will be transferred to our Hove and Cardiff offices," Legal and General said in a statement.

It previously said the lease to the Kingswood office was up for renewal so it was "sensible to see if the work cannot be done in our other offices".