A £50,000 refurbishment package has been drawn up to revamp the public areas of a Wyre Forest District Council office in Kidderminster.

The reception and waiting areas are to be improved at the council building in Coventry Street and the interview rooms are to be upgraded to meet Home Office standards.

The work has been made possible with a £45,000 Government grant from the Department for Work and Pensions. The remaining £5,000 is from the council's maintenance budget.

Financial services manager for audit and benefits Joan Hill said one function of the rooms was the interviewing of suspected benefit fraudsters under caution and this meant an upgrade was necessary to provide safe and secure interview facilities.

Portfolio holder for resources Councillor Liz Davies said the improvements would provide greater privacy for customers seeking advice and information about their housing and council tax benefits and other inquiries.

The work is due to start on Monday and will not be completed until March.

It is expected to cause some disruption with customer advice and information being provided from two of the existing cashier points and personal interviews being re-arranged to take place in the council's Vicar Street offices.

Mrs Davies added: "We appreciate that some disruption to our normal service is inevitable and we have done everything we can to inform our customers in advance with notices included with all correspondence and posters advising visitors to the offices of the changes."