Getting good value for public spending means giving sufficient priority to unflashy but essential tasks such as efficiently maintaining public buildings and replacing obsolete technology, as well as to more eye-catching new projects.
Two recent National Audit Office (NAO) reports demonstrate the problems caused by underinvestment in the physical estate for two essential public services: education and health. In June we reported on the condition of school buildings, concluding: “Following years of underinvestment, the estate’s overall condition is declining and about 700,000 pupils are learning in schools that the responsible body or Department for Education (DfE) believes needs major rebuilding or refurbishment. Most seriously, the DfE recognises significant safety concerns across the estate and has escalated these concerns to the government risk register.”
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