The UK Government said 13 cities across the UK while receive a collective economic boost of £729m
Cardiff is benefit from thousands of civil service jobs that the UK Government is to relocate out of London
The Welsh capital, along with 12 other UK cities, are projected to receive a collective £729m economic boost from the relocation of civil servant roles out of Whitehall. Civil servants working in the cities will be expected to spend three days a week in the office.
Changes will also be introduced so ‘talented’ young people from across the UK are able to progress straight from school or university into the civil service and progress to senior roles without having to work in Whitehall. The UK Government has also committed to locating 50% of UK-based senior civil servants in offices outside of London by 2030.
READ MORE: Update on plans for Wales’ largest new office with building work end date in sightREAD MORE: Bristol Airport instruct lawyers over £205m Welsh Government subsidy plans for its rival Cardiff
As well as Cardiff the other cities identified are Aberdeen; Belfast; Birmingham; Bristol; Darlington; Edinburgh; Glasgow; Greater Manchester; Leeds: Newcastle and Tyneside; Sheffield and York.
The Westminster government aims to reduce the number roles in London by 12,000 and close 11 offices to save £94m a year by 2032.
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden, said:”To deliver our Plan for Change, we are taking more decision-making out of Whitehall and moving it closer to communities all across the UK.
“By relocating thousands of civil service roles we will not only save taxpayers money, we will make this government one that better reflects the country it serves. We will also be making sure that Government jobs support economic growth throughout the country.
“As we radically reform the state, we are going to make it much easier for talented people everywhere to join the Civil Service and help us rebuild Britain.”
Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens said: “It is great news that Wales will be a major beneficiary of UK Government plans to develop policy closer to the communities it affects.
“This decision builds upon the strong presence that the UK Government already has in Wales while driving growth, boosting jobs and giving opportunity for Welsh talent to thrive.”
There are currently 9,230 non Welsh Government civil service roles based in Cardiff and 31,500 in Wales.
UK Government departments will now will submit plans for how many roles they plan to move to each of the locations as part of the next three year spending review.
While at an early stage Cardiff Council is looking to create a major public sector hub in Cardiff Bay as part of the wider Atlantic Wharf mixed-use development scheme. It forms part of its wider More and Different civil service jobs and investment strategy.
The hub plan, which will also include a new HQ for Cardiff Council, could provide up to 500,000 sq ft of new office space with aim of attracting civil service investment out of London.
Welcoming the UK Government’s announcement leader of Cardiff Council, Huw Thomas, said: “This is a significant milestone for Cardiff and a testament to the long-term efforts we have put into preparing the ground for such opportunities.
“The new civil service hub will not only bring high-quality jobs to our city. It will also strengthen our position as a key player in the UK’s public sector landscape. This could put real momentum into the Atlantic Wharf office campus, Central Square and Central Quay as top-class office locations attracting further investment.”
Cardiff Council’s cabinet member for investment and development, Russell Goodway, said: “I’m delighted to welcome the Civil Service hub to Cardiff. This move aligns perfectly with our economic development strategy, which has focused on creating a vibrant job market and fostering strong connections between local and central government.
“The career paths highlighted mirror our proposals presented at the recent civil service conference, which we called pathways. The hub will provide excellent career opportunities for our residents and contribute to the overall growth and prosperity of Cardiff.
” It also vindicates the focus we’ve put on the More and Different civil service programme in recent years where we have been able to highlight the new skills required by the civil service like cyber, fintech, and AI which can be met in Cardiff through the pathways created here to access and develop skills.”
“Cardiff Council has been actively working to attract government jobs to the city, including the successful relocation of HMRC regional centre in Cardiff, located at Central Square. That saw around 4,000 employees, moved from various smaller offices into a single, state-of-the-art facility, improving efficiency and providing better services to the public.
“The More and Different programme has been a key part of Cardiff Council’s strategy to diversify and modernize the economy.”
