159 councils join the One Public Estate Programme

159 councils will join the next phase of the One Public Estate programme, the Cabinet Office and Local Government Association (LGA) has announced.

One Public Estate is supporting collaborative property-led projects in local areas, delivering ambitious projects that transform local services. With £7.5 million of funding, on top of the £31 million announcemed in the 2015 Autumn Statement, it supports joint working across central and local government to release land and property and boost economic growth, regeneration and integrated public services.

The funding will support cross public sector partnerships to work collaboratively on land and property initiatives leading to new jobs, new homes, joined up public services and savings for the taxpayer.

Launched in 2013 by the Cabinet Office Government Property Unit and the LGA, the programme is now working with 50 per cent of councils.

Ben Gummer, Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, said: “Since its launch in 2013, One Public Estate has gone from strength to strength, supporting councils and their partners to deliver better services for local people.

“This funding will create important initiatives that integrate public services, boost local economies and deliver cost savings for local councils and taxpayers.

“My team are working closely with government departments to ensure that One Public Estate is helping to deliver government priorities such as health and social care integration and rationalisation of the defence estate. It is encouraging to see so many councils joining the programme and I look forward to seeing their success.”

Lord Porter, chairman of the LGA, added: “With half of councils across the country now taking part in the One Public Estate programme, local government is demonstrating real leadership in its communities, unlocking land to provide the homes and jobs that people need, helping services to work better together, and bringing in money while generating savings for the future.

“The extra money being made available for even more councils to join the programme will bring us closer to achieving our ambition to have all councils signed up by 2018, driving growth in their areas through the strong local leadership that we’ve already seen in the early phases of the programme.”