Government sells off properties that were unused
THE Government has sold off six properties in the Bristol area as part of its drive to save money and cut spending.
A unit was set up in Bristol to look at ways of selling off property that was no longer being used by public bodies. Yesterday it announced that it had raised almost £140 million in the South West, as part of a £1 billion countrywide property auction.
The properties that have been sold in the Bristol area include a house in Greystoke Avenue, Southmead, a house in Crossways Road, Knowle, land in Station Yard, Chipping Sodbury, land next to Turnpike House in Thornbury, land in Oldbury- on-Severn and land in Little Green Lane at Severn Beach.
Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude said: "It is remarkable that the Government was paying for property that it just wasn't using.
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"In the past Government took out expensive leases at the taxpayers' expense on new properties, even though freehold space was underused or even empty. Our strategy is to get out of expensive leases and concentrate on the properties we actually own.
"The £1 billion we have saved the taxpayer represents £60 for every working family."
Work on the sales was centrally coordinated by the Government Property Unit and civil servants from across government departments to ensure the best deal for the taxpayer.
In the coming months more work is being carried out on rationalising property currently used by government offices.
Buildings that can be shared by staff from various departments and public sector bodies will be trialled, and in Bristol new offices are opening in Temple Quay House.
5 Comments
by GanjaCrew
Thursday, March 14 2013, 1:04PM
“"The £1 billion we have saved the taxpayer represents £60 for every working family."
What is the total wasted on those properties? 1 billion times how many years?”
by smoosername
Thursday, March 14 2013, 12:59PM
“Surely getting rid of property not in use or likely to be used, however or whenever it was sourced, is a good thing?
Surely commenting on a story before reading it makes you look a little dim?”
by Lone_Ranger
Thursday, March 14 2013, 11:11AM
“Do keep up Brandon_Hill, there's a good chap. This article is about central Govt selling off unused properties, not about BCC selling anything let alone social housing. In fact Bristol City Council is not mentioned at all.”
by Brandon_Hill
Thursday, March 14 2013, 9:36AM
“Now then, now then, I thought the reason why the government wanted to screw over people in social housing was because there was a social housing shortage??
And now BCC are selling off social hosing?
Something fishy going on?”
by haark
Thursday, March 14 2013, 9:08AM
“"It is remarkable that the Govt. was paying for property it wasn't using".
It's only remarkable to people like him. If he got out more and used his eyes he would see that the Country is full of such properties bought when the Govt. couldn't spend our money fast enough. Helped of course by the ludicrous rule that if a dept. didn't spend its allocation in one year it would have it reduced the next.
Even Maggie couldn't stop such wasteful nonsense.”