Public sector relocations

Author: Kieran Larkin
Date: 23/03/2010

This note sets out the Centre for Cities' position on public sector relocations. The note makes three main points:

• Public sector relocations can have a positive impact. But relocations have high upfront costs. The savings generated by relocations would probably not start accruing until the Parliament after next.

• Relocation decision-making should be based more explicitly on central government analysis, and be less open to marketing campaigns by individual cities.

• Relocations should favour cities with a smaller proportion of public sector employment, rather than those experiencing economic weakness. Here relocations may be undermining the process of economic adjustment.