Jobs may go at an office run by HM Revenue and Customs but public services won’t be affected.

Iceni House in Newland Street, Witham, is due to close in the next financial year as HMRC looks to cut costs.

Currently 16 people work in the building and the plan is for majority to be redeployed to nearby offices.

Dave Gostelow, spokesman for HMRC, said a number of staff will stay in the office, or move to another office in Witham, as HMRC will retain its inquiry centre for public tax queries.

Brooks Newmark, Braintree MP, had written to the Chairman of HMRC and the Financial Secretary to outline the case for the building to stay open.

He said: “Although I do understand the need for HMRC to change and downsize, I believe there was a valid argument for keeping Iceni House open.

“Local workers are facing a miserable start to the New Year with the prospect of either unemployment or massive upheavals.

“This closure represents a further drain of workers and services to Chelmsford, at exactly the time we are trying to build out of the recession and focus on local growth and revitalisation in Witham.”