The Ministry of Justice’s headquarters at 102 Petty France will close for good as part of the government’s agenda to make the civil service less London-centric, the Cabinet Office has confirmed.
The government wants 50% of UK-based senior civil servants to be based in the English regions, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland by 2030, as part of its ‘Places for Growth’ programme. Cross-government 'regional hubs' will be set up in Greater Manchester, York, Leeds, Birmingham, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Bristol, Cardiff, Belfast, Sheffield, Darlington and Tyneside.
The Cabinet Office yesterday announced that 11 buildings, including 102 Petty France, will close as part of a ‘Plan for London’. The 1970s development 102 Petty France is home to the Ministry of Justice, Government Legal Department, Crown Prosecution Service and Law Commission.
The Cabinet Office said: 'The Plan for London focuses on reshaping our estate to match departmental workforce plans that allow for efficiency savings; helping to create workplaces which meet the needs of a modern workforce; and ensuring London remains a vibrant Civil Service location, including career development opportunities across all functions and professions.
‘Plan for London will support the Civil Service to become more productive and agile by reducing the London workforce, delivering admin savings by closing 11 buildings in this SR including 2 core buildings (including the specific building closures of 102 Petty France and 39 Victoria Street).’
Robert Eagleton, the FDA’s national officer for the Ministry of Justice, told the Gazette: 'The closure of 102 Petty France is creating significant uncertainty for staff, and the Ministry of Justice needs to swiftly clarify where staff will be moved to.'
Fran Heathcote, general secretary of the Public and Commercial Services Union, said there must be guarantees for London-based staff of no compulsory redundancies, no compulsory relocations and access to more flexible working arrangements so they can continue their careers should they wish to do so.
'PCS will be pressing the government to ensure those guarantees are forthcoming, and for a properly agreed transformation programme on a realistic timescale,' Heathcote said.
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