Gove plans to move large chunks of the government out of London

I can tell that you want to undermine the importance of London. Let's get one thing straight: Coastal villages represent little importance in the grand scheme of things.

I can tell that you want to undermine the importance of London. Let's get one thing straight: Coastal villages represent little importance in the grand scheme of things.

I was quite happy to be flown down to London to get my midweek accommodation paid for and receive a London living allowance. No issue with London. I just gave examples of non London based civil servants and asked if you thought they should be London based roles.

So do you want all civil servants in London or not?

Yes. All of the Government should be based in London.

Having parts of government elsewhere, even if most of the time policy makers were to work from home, might help change this. In addition to the cost savings and benefits to other parts of the regions concerned.

Working from home largely would achieve this, especially as gradually over time people would not move to London for jobs. Offices for most policy positions could be smaller, no need to travel into work every day, or have a separate office (use local authority facilities).

Working from home is the best solution by far! Civil servants largely work on a computer - they can do that at home without having to travel right into the heart of cities everyday. Meetings can be done in local council offices once a week or so, if not via Zoom would be sufficient. No big offices would be needed, at the expense of the taxpayer. London allowance could be scrapped (albeit for a few public-facing staff working in London offices) saving a fortune. Civil servants likely to be more productive when they're not having to travel several hours a day. They get to spend more time with their family, as when they finish at 5pm they're already at home. Not to mention they've been working from home all throughout the lockdown anyway!! Happier staff, bigger savings. Seems a no-brainer really!

I think using council offices from time to time would bring some work-based social contact, and perhaps an understanding of the pressures faced in local government.

Why do you think all diplomats should be in the UK?

You don't think the UK's 165 Embassies and High Commissions have any point?

British embassies get a free pass.

Precisely - also government departments could pay a fee to local councils to use their facilities. Still significantly cheaper for the Civil Service compared with their own offices and councils generate some much-needed revenue.

But Border Force shouldn't have staff at Manchester Airport or Dover?

Border Force also get free pass. And police. And teachers. And doctors. And the army.

How is it cheaper for councils to provide office space....?

Police, Doctors, Teachers and the Army aren't Civil Servants.

Diplomats and Border Force are though.

You also said on reflection you don't want all MoJ jobs in London either.

Why do you think the 10% of the Civil Service in call centre jobs should be London based? Sodding call centres innit, could be anywhere - why London?

Because it's London. Enough said.

Councils (especially district councils) often have several large offices within their counties with lots of meeting rooms and hotdesking. It's the same with the Civil Service, lots of meeting rooms and hotdesking in government department offices. Once, these were well-used by nowadays less so given technology replaces the need for most face-to-face meetings.

If the Civil Service use local council offices (given local council workers could do more home-base working too), you'd need fewer buildings and thus there'd be greater savings. Councils largely do not need big offices if there is more home-based working so can generate revenue by charging Civil Service a fee to use them. That fee is cheaper than if the Civil Service were to run their own offices. It's all public money, and those same council meeting rooms and desks could be used far more efficiently.

They have 'large' offices because they have a lot of staff, not because they are roomy.

Why would the fee be cheaper than the Civil Service running its own estate? Surely all the same costs plus the overhead of an MoU between the council and department(s) using the office.

As a small aside, you're also assuming councils provide sufficient (or any) guest wi-fi.

True, London is renowned for its call centres. Number one industry in the area.

Most desks come with ethernet connections anyway.