PUBLIC & CIVIC
Sector needs political and economic certainty to unlock new investment
Change was the new government’s campaign theme, and we await with anticipation what this will mean for central, regional and local governments.
For government departments committed to the Government Property Strategy and its aim of creating a smaller, efficient estate with a broader geographic presence, we are likely to see further government asset and land disposals and relocation of departments to UK nations and regions.
Vocalised concern about prison capacity has put the new building programme back in the spotlight. Delays to major capital programmes, and the Chancellor’s cancellation of funding for previously announced regional infrastructure projects due to a spending ‘black hole’, highlight the difficult decisions that lie ahead.
We await to see if Labour will follow through its manifesto pledge to merge the National Infrastructure Commission and Infrastructure and Projects Authority to better support the delivery of major capital projects.
‘Levelling up’ is no more, but place-based renewal is still top of the local and regional government agenda. Early declarations on broadening devolution in England reveal a direction of travel, but it remains to be seen what approach this new government will take.
We are likely to see deeper settlements to combined authorities, the creation of new ones, and greater devolved powers to unblock decision-making. New statutory requirements for local growth plans delivered with local stakeholders and economic partners may accelerate developments and investments.
We’ve seen revisions to the National Policy Planning Framework to restore mandatory housing targets and feasibility studies into the siting of new towns. Arguably, the most important yet-to-be-announced change many cash-strapped local authorities are waiting to hear will be the much-promised reforms to the local government funding system and a move away from short-term funding allocations.
NEWS
RLB appointed with WSP to deliver DWP estate capital works programme
Leading multi-disciplinary professional services firm WSP, alongside partner RLB UK, has been appointed as one of three suppliers by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to provide a wide range of services to support the delivery of estate capital works projects in England, Wales and Scotland.
