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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Civil service office plan dropped | Civil service office plan dropped |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| A major private finance initiative which would have led to more than 75 government buildings being taken over by the private sector has been dropped. | |
| Workplace 2010 was designed to support reforms across the NI Civil Service. | Workplace 2010 was designed to support reforms across the NI Civil Service. |
| The project was suspended in October while a Department of Finance and Personnel review was carried out. | The project was suspended in October while a Department of Finance and Personnel review was carried out. |
| A spokesperson said: "It simply does not make sense to proceed, given the decline in property values and the difficulty in securing finance." | A spokesperson said: "It simply does not make sense to proceed, given the decline in property values and the difficulty in securing finance." |
| The Executive would have benefited in the short term by selling off its offices for a projected income of £175m. | The Executive would have benefited in the short term by selling off its offices for a projected income of £175m. |
| However, in the long term it would have paid rent and charges to the private companies who agreed to run and modernise the buildings. It is a shame that so many millions have already been wasted on private sector consultants trying to implement a massive privatisation that was only going to line the pockets of bankers and investors John CoreyNipsa | However, in the long term it would have paid rent and charges to the private companies who agreed to run and modernise the buildings. It is a shame that so many millions have already been wasted on private sector consultants trying to implement a massive privatisation that was only going to line the pockets of bankers and investors John CoreyNipsa |
| Since the review began, the two remaining bidders for the project have come under single ownership. | Since the review began, the two remaining bidders for the project have come under single ownership. |
| The government said in a statement: "During the suspension period, the department undertook to review the procurement in light of the global decline in the property and credit markets. | The government said in a statement: "During the suspension period, the department undertook to review the procurement in light of the global decline in the property and credit markets. |
| "Following this review, and as a result of discussions with the now combined Telereal/Trillium business, the parties have decided that it will not be possible to conclude the current Workplace 2010 procurement process in the foreseeable future. | "Following this review, and as a result of discussions with the now combined Telereal/Trillium business, the parties have decided that it will not be possible to conclude the current Workplace 2010 procurement process in the foreseeable future. |
| "This is because exceptional market conditions have made it difficult to obtain debt finance for this type of property-related contract, and because of the fall in the value of commercial property." | "This is because exceptional market conditions have made it difficult to obtain debt finance for this type of property-related contract, and because of the fall in the value of commercial property." |
| The department said it remained committed to the original objectives of Workplace 2010. | The department said it remained committed to the original objectives of Workplace 2010. |
| "We will now seek to achieve these objectives through a number of alternative routes including consideration of conventional procurement to deliver some early phases of the programme and reviewing how the later phases might also be delivered," the spokesperson added. | "We will now seek to achieve these objectives through a number of alternative routes including consideration of conventional procurement to deliver some early phases of the programme and reviewing how the later phases might also be delivered," the spokesperson added. |
| John Corey of the public service union Nipsa said the termination of the project was "in the best interests of the civil service and the Northern Ireland taxpayer". | John Corey of the public service union Nipsa said the termination of the project was "in the best interests of the civil service and the Northern Ireland taxpayer". |
| "It is a shame that so many millions have already been wasted on private sector consultants trying to implement a massive privatisation that was only going to line the pockets of bankers and investors and not improve civil service efficiency," he said. | "It is a shame that so many millions have already been wasted on private sector consultants trying to implement a massive privatisation that was only going to line the pockets of bankers and investors and not improve civil service efficiency," he said. |