Until recently the government was happy to have an ‘arms-length’ approach to infrastructure, delegating the delivery of many projects, especially PFI ones, to quangos. Now with infrastructure higher up the political agenda, departments are taking more control over processes.
Morrell’s two priorities as a government advisor are sustainability and affordability - two potentially conflicting aims. However, he remains committed to this twin-pronged approach. “At the Government Construction Summit we’ll see a morning/afternoon split between the two halves of my brief - the Cabinet Office brief, basically the government as client - which is concerned with taxpayer value, as we’re trying to deliver capital cost savings through efficiency.