A refurbished customer service centre in Lowestoft town centre will re-open later this month, as part of a cost-saving exercise between the district and county council.

The Marina Customer Services Centre, next to the Marina Theatre, will for the first time house teams from both Waveney District Council and Suffolk County Council in the heart of the town.

Frank Mortimer, cabinet member for customers and communities at Waveney District Council, said: 'The work that has been undertaken will ensure that it is both easier and quicker to access services and I am absolutely delighted that the work has been carried out on budget and on time.'

Sarah Stamp, Suffolk County Council's cabinet member for communities, said: 'The work to share space at Riverside has gone very well and opening up the refurbished facilities at the Marina offices is part of delivering a flexible approach to services in the community.'

Improvements include the addition of more self-service computers, which allow people to access council services and information themselves and increasing call centre capacity.

The county council's Youth Offending Service will also move in as well as the and Catch 22 team which support young people leaving local authority care at 16.

The work has been undertaken as part of the wider £13 million Lowestoft Shared Accommodation Programme which has seen back-office and administrative teams occupy the new Riverside building on Canning Road, which opened in July last year.

A spokesman for the district council said the new co-location will house around 150 staff and save local taxpayers in the region of £3 million.

Services delivered from the customer service centre were temporarily relocated to St Margaret's House on Gordon Road while the renovation took place.