Public services told to share buildings

Eric Pickles yesterday endorsed a new report suggesting local authorities could save £7bn a year – the equivalent of £316 for every council taxpayer – by rationalising their property portfolios, selling off offices and town halls and sharing buildings with other services.

The report by the Westminster Sustainable Business Forum found the biggest savings could be made “when all public services are provided from the same location”.

Speaking at its launch in the House of Commons, Mr Pickles said having all services under one roof would not only save money but make life easier for people looking for help. Voluntary organisations could be housed alongside public services, to ensure advice of all kinds was available.

“Sensible use of public money demands that we do start to share public buildings,” said Mr Pickles, a former leader of Bradford Council.

“This is about ensuring that somebody wanting help, assistance and advice goes to one place. It doesn’t matter whether it is the health service, the police, the district or county council, why should they have to take a basic lesson in civics to know where to go?

And he added: “The future lies with the public sector getting together – not just local government but the health service and the Department for Work and Pensions – to offer something better to the public.”

Yesterday’s report, published after a six-month inquiry involving leaders of the public and private sectors, found that local authorities own some £250 billion worth of buildings, which makes up around two-thirds of the state’s total £370 billion property portfolio, which costs £25 billion a year to run.

Managing property effectively could cut the space needed by councils by 30%, leading to lower costs, lower carbon emissions and better services, said the report.