Public sector bodies must work together more in order to cut the public sector’s £220bn yearly spend on procurement, the National Audit Office and the Audit Commission have warned today.
In their Review of Collaborative Procurement Across the Public Sector, which was published this morning, the two watchdogs say the public procurement landscape is fragmented and needs central governance.
The report says: “There are nearly 50 professional buying organisations, as well as individual public bodies running commercial and procurement functions. The implications for value for money are clear.  Public bodies …

Regional development agencies have spent £5bn on regeneration schemes but could have invested their money better, an auditor has reported.
Today, the National Audit Office has published its 35-page report Regenerating The English Regions which says that the eight RDAs outside London have spent £5bn since 1999 but have been weak at identifying the best projects to invest in.
It said RDAs have not demonstrated that they have maximised economic growth because they cannot prove they have backed the right projects.
Amyas Morse, head of the National Audit Office, said: “The regional development …

The government has spent up to £1bn reshuffling Whitehall departments and quangos in the past five years, including £116m on property, the National Audit Office has revealed.
Today, the spending watchdog published a report examining value for money on a total of 92 central government reshuffles since May 2005.
The research, which analysed the 51 largest cases of reorganisation, says they cost a total of £200m a year, and often with little tangible benefit.
Eleven per cent of that figure relates to property and IT, while 41% of the costs were on staffing …

What it is: The National Audit Office has published its latest report Preparations for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, about funding for the upcoming Olympics.
When it came out: 26 February 2010
Why it is important: The NAO says the government needs to replenish its contingency fund after taking £621m to fund the Olympic Village and Media Centre developments. It says that, while the project is currently on time and on budget, the contingency fund is needed to protect taxpayers from unexpected financial hurdles.
To read the full report click here: NAO report …

The government needs to bolster its Olympics contingency fund to protect taxpayers from unexpected bills, the National Audit Office has warned.
Today, the NAO has published its report Preparations for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. It warned that government and the London Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) has depleted its contingency fund by taking £621m to fund the Olympic Village and the Media Centre.
Edward Leigh MP, chairman of the Committee of Public Accounts said that government and LOCOG were currently on time and on budget …

The BBC’s extension of Broadcasting House in London will end up £100m over budget and be four years late, according to the National Audit Office (NAO).
Today the NAO published a report called Renewing the BBC’s Estate, which criticised the BBC for failing to get value for money in delivering £2bn of major building projects. These were the redevelopment of Broadcasting House (pictured), the construction of Pacific Quay in Glasgow, and the planned move to Salford Quays.
The report said “weak governance” and a failure to spell out the original requirements …

The government does not have an effective strategy in its £1.1bn efforts to regenerate former coalfield sites, the National Audit Office has warned.
Today, the NAO today launched its 37-page report Regenerating the English Coalfields, which said that the National Coalfields Programme to decontaminate former coalfields sites across England had failed to provide opportunities to help train local people and promote local businesses.
It said the NCP had brought into new use 54 of 107 former coalfield sites making them suitable for private development and recreational use, with work underway on a …

What it is: The National Audit Office has reported that the government does not have an adequate strategy in its £1.1bn plan to regenerate ex-coalfields.
When it came out: 17 December 2009
Why it is important: The auditor warns that public sector spending cuts could de-rail efforts to regenerate coalfields regions after 2011, and that the current strategy for the regeneration of coalfields is not adequate.
To read the full report click here: Regenerating the English Coalfields

HM Revenue & Customs has not made the savings it forecast from a contract with Mapeley that expires in 2021, the National Audit Office has revealed.
Yesterday, central government auditor the NAO released a report on the 20-year deal HMRC predecessors Inland Revenue and HM Customs & Excise signed with Mapeley STEPS Contractor Limited in 2001. HMRC transferred 60% of its properties to Mapeley in that deal and planned to save £1.2bn.
The NAO said in the eight years so far the contract has cost £312m than was first forecast. It said …