The conciliation service ACAS has been called in to try to find a solution to the dispute that has delayed the move of Babergh and Mid Suffolk councils to Endeavour House in Ipswich.

The two districts, which have a joint administration, were due to move to share the county council’s headquarters this month – but the move was delayed after staff refused to sign amendments to their contracts of employment saying they would work from Ipswich.

This has meant that they have been issued with notices terminating their contracts, with new contracts due to be sent out re-employing them.

However that means the move would not be completed until all the new contracts had been completed at the end of the year.

Now ACAS has been called in to try to find a way out of the dispute between the councils and the staff who are members of UNISON and who voted to reject the amended contracts.