SECURITY at York’s £32 million council headquarters is now in the hands of a Yorkshire firm which plans to create new jobs.

The contract for security staff at West Offices, the historic former railway station on Station Rise which City of York Council moved into earlier this year, has been awarded to Leeds-based Gough & Kelly Ltd.

The deal has allowed the firm to widen its expansion in North Yorkshire, as it already provides security for organisations such as the University of York, Nestle, Bootham School and the National Centre for Early Music.

It currently employs 132 people, with a spokesman for the company saying it had recently taken on new security guards and sales and admin staff and is now also looking to recruit more engineers.

All security staff working at West Offices, which was transformed in a project led by York Investors LLP – a partnership between York developers S Harrison and Buccleuch Property – and Miller Construction and now houses 1,400 staff and the council’s customer contact centre, will be Security Industry Authority-registered. The spokesman said: “This prestigious contract continues Gough & Kelly’s growth in North Yorkshire.

“We’re one of the biggest privately-owned security businesses in Yorkshire, and also one of the few who are expanding through the recession.”

As well as the York council HQ contract, Gough & Kelly has also recently been awarded contracts by Henshaws College in Harrogate, Leeds City College, Sheffield University, Greenwoods Menswear and GB Builders. The spokesman said: “Our existing clients also include Leeds United FC, Ringways, Jury’s Inn, Towngate plc, Rushbond, BOC, Harron Homes, Mansell, Jack Lunn and many schools.”

The company specialises in security systems, including CCTV and intruder and fire alarms, fencing, gates and barriers, as well as providing security guards. It operates a round-the-clock monitoring and control centre which keeps watch on its CCTV systems.