Press release: Pioneering property programme drives efficiency savings across the public sector
Councils and government agencies from the early phases of the Cabinet Office and Local Government Association’s One Public Estate (OPE) programme have worked in partnership to raise over £25 million in capital receipts and deliver £7.7 million in running cost savings since its inception in 2013.
Speaking today at the launch event for the latest round of OPE funding in Liverpool, Ben Gummer, Minister for the Cabinet Office, encouraged councils to apply for the next round of funding allocations, which opens on 7th April 2017.
Ben Gummer, Minister of the Cabinet Office, said:
Seeing such substantial savings being delivered from the very first councils that participated in One Public Estate is hugely encouraging. These councils have raised millions of pounds through initiatives that not only deliver capital receipts, but also increase efficiency and improve public services.
There is enormous potential for these savings and public benefits to be even greater, and I encourage councils to work on bids for the next round of funding.
OPE is a joint initiative run by the Cabinet Office and the Local Government Association, which encourages councils to work with central government and the wider public sector to use land and property to boost economic growth, unlock regeneration, and create more integrated public services.
Councils apply to the programme to receive funding and both practical and technical support to help solve issues and deliver ambitious transformational projects.
The total number of councils participating in OPE is over 250 – almost three quarters of all councils in England. OPE remains on track to achieve the ambition of 95% of councils on the programme by 2018.
Lord Porter, LGA Chairman, said:
I’m really pleased to see the continued expansion of One Public Estate.
The programme has made great strides up and down the country supporting our councils to work more collaboratively with our central government partners, ensuring public land and property is put to the best possible use for our communities.
I hope to see all councils on the programme by 2018.
Further information
One Public Estate is a national programme initially launched in 2013.
It is jointly delivered by the Government Property Unit within the Cabinet Office and the Local Government Association. It supports joint working across central and local government to use land and property to boost economic growth, unlock regeneration, and create more integrated public services. It encourages public sector partners to share buildings, transform services, reduce running costs, and release surplus and under-used land for development. Partnerships joining the programme will receive funding and both practical and technical support from our team to help solve issues and deliver ambitious transformational projects.
To find out more about the programme, email onepublicestate@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.
On 27 January the Cabinet Office and Local Government Association announced that a further 79 councils would join the One Public Estate (OPE) programme.
The latest funding round means that by 2019/20 the partnerships on OPE expect to:
- create 44,000 jobs
- release land for 25,000 homes
- raise £415 million in capital receipts from land and property sales
- cut running costs by £98 million
The funding will support public sector partnerships to work collaboratively on land and property initiatives, generating new jobs and homes, creating more joined up public services to local communities, and delivering savings for the taxpayer.