APM responds to strategic review of the restoration programme for the Palace of Westminster

Responding to the publication of the strategic review on the restoration and renewal of the Palace of Westminster, David Thomson, head of external affairs at APM said:

“This project carries unique heritage, political and value-for-money challenges. This is a project that is as much about the culture of the Britain as it is about restoring a building. As the strategic review states, “strong and clear governance will be essential to delivering this complex and large-scale programme.” We believe this is a cornerstone to the restoration project.

We echo the National Audit Office’s previous comments on the programme and the strategic review’s focus on streamlined governance arrangements including agreeing clear user requirements, clarity around decision-making and ensuring clear accountabilities. These are observations we endorse and we urge the sponsors of this project to learn lessons from previous major projects by making use of existing expertise to reduce uncertainties and thereby reduce the risk to taxpayer money.

“The options set out in this report must be judged against what will deliver the best value, in the broadest sense, for the public. This will require bold and imaginative thinking and, where possible, the creation of a national consensus to underpin this project to ensure a successful outcome.”

You can read the review in full here.