{"id":49995,"date":"2014-11-10T15:23:36","date_gmt":"2014-11-10T15:23:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?guid=be0f022ea2b70cfac367eabe985fe6b9"},"modified":"2014-11-10T15:23:36","modified_gmt":"2014-11-10T15:23:36","slug":"press-release-government-unveils-2-billion-in-cumulative-savings-as-public-bodies-are-cut-by-a-third","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?p=49995","title":{"rendered":"Press release: Government unveils \u00a32 billion in cumulative savings as public bodies are cut by a third"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Over \u00a32 billion has been saved cumulatively since 2010 through reforming and abolishing public bodies \u2013 with plans on track to reach the forecasted \u00a32.6 billion by May 2015 \u2013 Minister for the Cabinet Office Francis Maude today announced.<\/p>\n

These savings have been achieved through a top-to-bottom review of over 900 public bodies, abolishing at least 185 and merging over 165 bodies into fewer than 70. This extensive work, undertaken over the past 4 years, has reduced the overall number of public bodies by a third.<\/p>\n

The programme has now completed over 95% of the planned abolitions and mergers, achieving savings of \u00a3900 million in 2013 to 2014 alone a year ahead of schedule – the equivalent of funding 25,000 experienced police constables.<\/p>\n

Minister for the Cabinet Office Francis Maude said: <\/p>\n

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As part of our long-term economic plan, this government is cutting waste and driving reform to save taxpayers billions. Thanks to the dedication of so many officials working in these bodies, we have delivered our promise to transform the \u2018quango\u2019 landscape to make it more accountable, more efficient and better run than ever before.<\/p>\n

With around a third fewer public bodies than at the time of the last general election, we have saved a cumulative \u00a32 billion since 2010 \u2013 defying the scepticism of our critics.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Beyond these top level savings, the public bodies reform programme has also demonstrated further benefits including greater transparency and accountability, with many bodies coming under direct ministerial control or closer to local communities. It has also produced a number of new models of delivery, seeing public services operating in more innovative and efficient ways. <\/p>\n

In July 2012, the British Waterways\u2019 functions and assets were transferred into the Canal & River Trust,<\/a> the charitable trust in charge of 2,000 miles of waterways in England and Wales. This is the largest single transfer of assets to date from the state to the charitable sector. Since this transfer took place, the Canal & River Trust has raised more than \u00a315 million in funding and recruited 2,000 regular volunteers who gave over 50,000 days of volunteering in the past year \u2013 double the number of days under the old British Waterways Board. <\/p>\n

Today\u2019s announcement comes alongside the release of the Public Bodies 2014 report<\/a> which sets out the size and cost of public bodies, executive agencies and non-ministerial departments in a single document so taxpayers can see exactly how their money is spent.<\/p>\n

Notes to editors<\/h2>\n

Abolished public bodies include:<\/p>\n