Thousands of civil service posts across London UK are to be moved as part of the UK government’s broader strategy. The strategy is to decentralise power and address regional difference. In a major restructuring, 11 government offices in central London including prominent buildings in Whitehall are due to close. The relocation will affect up to 12,000 civil servants. It represents one of the biggest shake-ups of the public sector in decades.
Key Departments Affected
They include the Department of Health and Social Care on Victoria Street and the Ministry of Justice’s building on Petty France, The Guardian reported. They are among those being closed down in a bid to relocate jobs away from London and put more civil servants in regional centers throughout the UK.
Regional Hubs and Economic Benefits
New government campuses are to be established in cities like Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Cardiff, Glasgow and Aberdeen. Manchester will have a new digital and AI centre while Aberdeen will be the headquarters for an energy-themed hub. The government assures that the relocation of civil service jobs London UK will not just save on offices by £94 million annually but also create a benefit of about £729 million to local economies over a span of five years, as quoted by The Times.
Policy Goals and Recruitment Strategy
Cabinet Office Minister Pat McFadden explained, according to The Financial Times, that at least 50% of fast stream graduates and senior civil servants should be headquartered outside the capital by 2030. He further added that no one will be compelled to move but regional recruitment would be prioritised instead.
Union Response and Worker Concerns
Trade unions have greeted the move cautiously but are calling for greater clarity on job protections, career development and support for workers who will be hit. Union leaders would like assurances that staff outside of London will receive equal access to promotions and resources, reports The Guardian.
Aims to Balance the Civil Service Nationwide
This dramatic change is in response to the government’s desire to reform the civil service so that civil service jobs in London UK are distributed more evenly across the country for economic and operational equity.
