FMJ Facilities Management magazine providing industry-specific intelligence to FM and property professionals
Today marks the official opening of a new government hub in Peterborough.
The Hub is in Fletton Quays, an area undergoing a £120 million regeneration, and will house more than 1,000 government staff from a number of departments and agencies. Staff from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and the Home Office’s Passport Office will be based there permanently, with room for more roles which may relocate to the city from London.
The project is part of the government hubs programme, which has also seen the announcement of new hubs across the country including Glasgow, Belfast, Newcastle, Leeds, Manchester, Nottingham, Cardiff, Birmingham and Bristol.
These hubs will support the government’s drive to move 22,000 government roles out of London by 2030, moving them into communities across the UK.
To date, more than 900 roles have been relocated out of the capital and into the East Midlands and East of England, with departments including the Ministry of Justice expanding their presence there.
The government will also launch a civil service recruitment campaign in the region in April as part of the drive to offer roles previously located in Whitehall to people in the East of England and East Midlands, ensuring the government is maximising use of the area’s vast talent pool.
Cabinet Office Minister Alex Burghart, who officially cut the ribbon on the new Hub in Peterborough said: “It’s fantastic to be in Peterborough to open our brand new Government Hub. This is a very important day for the city.
“As today shows, this Government is investing in Peterborough and the East of England to create jobs and opportunities for the long-term.”
Clive Anderson, Director of Capital Projects at the Government Property Agency, commented: “Quay House in Peterborough is the Government Property Agency’s first new build Hub. It will provide inclusive, flexible, digitally-connected workspaces to support greater productivity, create cost efficiencies and enhance carbon reduction. This has been achieved by consolidating four remote sites into one new city centre building, with 1,000 civil servants now supporting local businesses.
“We are all extremely proud to deliver this new Hub in Peterborough, and to be delivering the Government Hubs Programme in support of key government initiatives such as Levelling Up, Civil Service Reform and Net Zero. I welcome our clients and customers to their new place of work.”
With the current economic crisis resulting in higher prices and more of a squeeze on resources, FMs need to ensure that they have robust building and maintenance services in place to control costs and reduce the need for emergency repairs. When it comes to drainage and plumbing there are also the challenges of dealing with extreme weather, from droughts to flooding, the need to meet stringent regulations and to avoid causing environmental damage.
UK drainage specialist, Metro Rod, has launched a survey which explores the main areas of interest for FMs in maintaining drainage and plumbing, including how they currently assess their supply chains to ensure they’re working with partners that meet the highest possible standards and provide value for money.
The results will be published online so that you can see how you compare to others within the sector.
The survey should take just 5-10 minutes of your time, and as a thank you, you will be entered into a prize draw, where one lucky winner will be picked at random to receive a £100 Amazon voucher.
To take part click here.
