The Bedfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (BCCG), the body responsible for overseeing NHS services locally, has been criticised for paying ‘well over the odds’ for office accommodation.
In February the Bedfordshire on Sunday reported that the BCCG is spending £280k a year of taxpayers’ money to lease office space at the prestigious Wrest Park estate in Silsoe.
At the time, the BCCG argued that the rent payments were ‘commensurate’ with office costs elsewhere in Bedfordshire. A Freedom of Information response to a request issued by Conservative Group Leader Cllr Stephen Moon has, however, revealed that the BCCG is paying between £29 - £39 per square foot; three or four times more expensive than office space of a similar size currently being advertised in Bedford.
The BCCG recorded £43.2m and £20m spending deficits in 2014/15 and 2015/16 respectively and is subsequently under ‘legal directions’ from NHS England which is overseeing the BCCG’s financial planning.
Cllr Moon said:
‘It is indefensible for the BCCG to pay well over the odds for lavish accommodation when it has posted vast spending deficits in the last 2 years. It is hugely hypocritical to threaten cuts to services such as IVF treatments whilst at the same time occupying offices that clearly do not achieve value for money for the taxpayer.
‘Public sector bodies are in the process of sharing properties and disposing of facilities in order to save costs but this seems to have bypassed the BCCG. I am sure the BCCG could follow the example of the police and move into Borough Hall, but I will not hold my breath.’