8. Departmental performance varies considerably against the key office property metrics.[21] Some variation is to be expected, for example, due to the nature of the buildings they occupy and the need to locate in particular regions to satisfy their business demands. Nevertheless, there is scope for all departments to improve their performance.[22]

9. Departments often refer to constraints that prevent them from improving efficiency such as occupying listed buildings, their need to be in particular locations and the frequent reconfiguration of departments as a result of machinery of government changes.[23] However, for each of these challenges there are well documented, innovative approaches to overcoming them. Some departments have already delivered accommodation projects that have addressed such constraints. For example, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Ministry of Defence, Cabinet Office and HM Treasury have all recently refurbished listed properties and converted them into modern flexible workspace.[24]

10. The Department for Children, Schools and Families is a better performer, with an accommodation cost per square metre of £123 and a cost per person of £2,592.[25] The Department aims to improve its performance by implementing a desk sharing policy of 8 desks for every 10 people, and is targeting a space allocation of 11 square metres per person.[26] Despite being a good performer, before December 2007, few other departments had sought its advice on how to improve their own performance.[27]

11. In 2005-06, the Treasury had the highest accommodation costs per person (£12,041), and allocation of space per person (21.9 square metres), as well as the third highest accommodation costs per square metre (£529).[28] Since 2005-06, the Treasury has taken some steps to improve its performance by moving OGC staff into its main building and closing the OGC buildings in London and Edinburgh.[29] The Treasury estimates that this has reduced its accommodation costs by £3 million and improved its space density by 20%.[30] It is seeking to further improve its space utilisation by accommodating up to an additional 130 people in its main building.[31] However, the Treasury's performance improvement has taken some time and, although there is now a more acceptable space density, it can achieve more.[32]

12. In 2005-06, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport had the highest accommodation costs per square metre, at £636, and the second highest accommodation costs per person, at £11,336.[33] Since 2005-06, the Department has improved its performance by taking steps to improve space efficiency and reduce accommodation costs. It has improved efficiency by rationalising its estate, including vacating two buildings and part of one other, as well as refurbishing its head office to provide open plan accommodation. The Department anticipates that this will reduce accommodation costs per person to around £6,500, almost half the figure for 2005-06.[34] Other departments can use the example set by the Department to reduce their own accommodation costs and improve overall efficiency across their building portfolios.

22   Qq 10, 12 Back

23   C&AG's Report, Figure 8 Back

24   C&AG's Report, Figure 8 Back

25   C&AG's Report, paras 2.10, 2.12 Back

26   Q 6 Back

27   Q5 Back

28   Q 2; C&AG's Report, Figures 1, 2, 4 Back

29   Q 13 Back

30   Qq 4, 110 Back

31   Qq 117-118 Back

32   Q 13 Back

33   C&AG's Report, paras 2.10, 2.12 Back

34   C&AG's Report, Figure 16, note 3 Back