A multi-million pound deal which has seen two Norfolk councils buy their new headquarters from Aviva has gone through - but the precise price paid has still not been revealed.

Broadland and South Norfolk councils have completed the deal to buy the Horizon building at Broadland Business Park, having agreed to purchase it in May.

The councils confirmed on Friday that hundreds of staff from the two councils will leave their current offices to move into the new building early next year.

Council leaders say the switch will save a "significant amount of money" in capital and revenue spending.

They say the money saved can be reinvested to improve council services and keep council tax low.

Officers said the move would bring about an 84pc reduction in energy costs, compared to running the two existing buildings - which are likely to be sold off.

South Norfolk Council's Long Stratton offices and Broadland District Council's Thorpe St Andrew site have been put on the market.

Councillors at both authorities had questioned the need for the switch and whether the figures for the purchase - which have been discussed behind closed doors - stacked up.

The councils have said commercial reasons mean they cannot yet disclose what they have paid for the property, which Aviva staff moved out of in 2021.

In South Norfolk, the council is opening a satellite office to serve people in the Diss and Harleston area, so they can still get face-to-face service without needing to travel to Norwich.

The council says it will be opening the Octagon Building in Diss on October 17, which will be staffed from Monday to Friday.

South Norfolk councillor Graham Minshull, who represents Diss and Roydon, said: “The council is opening an office in the heart of our community.

"Residents will no longer have to travel to Long Stratton to see the council, they can now pop in while doing their shopping.”