The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) could do more to achieve value for money in the management of its global estate, claims a report out today from the National Audit Office (NAO).
Although the FCO is taking positive steps to adapt its properties to new global challenge, says the report, it lacks a clear strategy and comprehensive data to manage its overseas portfolio effectively.
The report is critical of the FCO's strategy for managing its estate, claiming it is high-level and the underpinning detail is scant. 'It does not lay out the requirements for the estate, whether the estate meets the requirements and how it will address the gaps. Without a clear framework to assess the estate's performance, it is difficult to evaluate the department's progress'.
To counter this criticism the FCO has recently appointed an estates specialist as director of estates and security who is developing a new strategy, the department responded.
"These steps have the potential to help secure improved value for money in the future," it told the NAO.
Mr Amyas Morse, head of the NAO, said: "Although the department has begun to remedy some of the shortcomings we identified and has started work on its strategy for managing the estate, it still needs to get the basics right. It needs to lay out the priorities for its overseas estate and work out how to get more robust information. Whilst there are examples of good practice at individual posts, the department needs to spread this across the whole estate if it is to make real efficiencies."
From Whitehall Watch
From Bubb's Blog
From Flip Chart Fairy Tales
