DORSET County Council is considering quitting its Colliton Park headquarters.

The authority is reviewing whether to relocate 879 staff from Dorchester's County Hall to a new base.

The move is one option under consideration as part of a review of the county's 13 office buildings in the county town.

And leading councillor David Fox today slammed the near £1,000-a-week rent the authority pays for one building in town - on a lease until 2017.

The Dorchester Property Review is looking at how the authority can best deal with its expanding workforce.

Changes already earmarked include moving staff currently based at Top o'Town House to new offices at Winfrith Technology Centre.

Top o'Town House would become a council training suite under the proposals County chiefs claim introducing flexible work patterns, known as hot-desking, will also save the authority cash.

Now they are considering the long-term future of all county council property in Dorchester, including County Hall.

Elaine Taylor, county corporate services director, said: "The Dorchester Property Review, upon which a report will be presented in March, will address the asset management issues of the potential of a wholesale relocation from Colliton Park."

Councillors are set to receive full details of the review in a secret report next month.

A county council spokesman said: "The Dorchester Property Review is taking place at the moment and is looking at all options regarding county council property in the town.

"We must stress there is no proposal on the table for us to move out of Colliton Park and this review is certainly not being driven by that.

"But in order to carry out a full and thorough review of our Dorchester property, all options for Colliton Park have to be considered and looked at."

The property review has revealed the county is forking out £245,000 a year to rent five Dorchester buildings - Princes House, Grove House, Vespasian House, Hammick House and Top o'Town House.

The latter is costing nearly £1,000 a week to accommodate 51 staff, on a lease until 2017.

The county is also paying £95,300 a year to rent Princes House which houses 158 staff.

Councillors have blasted the terms agreed to rent Top o'Town House.

Coun David Fox said: "I'm absolutely horrified at the terms which we took out on Top o'Town House.

"We are paying out nearly £1,000 a week of taxpayers money to rent that building, which is an extortionate amount.

"What makes it even worse is there is no opportunity to get out of it for another 12 years.

"Most leases allow you to get out after five years or so but this one runs until 2017.

"How the county council got into this position previously, who knows?"