Thousands of Government jobs moved to North West and Yorkshire following Government investment

MORE than 11,000 Government roles have been relocated out of London and across the UK under the Places for Growth programme, the Cabinet Office has been announced. The North West has seen the most roles created, with around 2,100 Government jobs previously based in London now operating from:- Greater Manchester, Liverpool and Sefton. Yorkshire and Humber will also benefited significantly from the jobs boost, with around 1,800 more civil servant roles now based in Leeds and Sheffield. Around 8 out of 10 roles relocated under the programme have been filled by local people. For example, Home Office roles tackling exploitation and abuse which were previously operating in London are now based in the North West while Cabinet Office officials working on the Government's counter-fraud response are also now working in Manchester. Both departments have moved around 450 roles to Greater Manchester so far.

Government modelling expects that the programme will provide an economic boost of between:- £260m to £1.4bn in total across the country, helping to deliver on 1 of the Prime Minister's key promises to grow the economy.  Latest relocation studies suggest a local economic benefit of £30 million per 1,000 roles relocated, which suggests the moves to Greater Manchester could generate more than £60 million in economic benefits to the area.

Minister for the Cabinet Office Jeremy Quin visited the site of a new Hub in Manchester last week, which is set to be completed by 2025. He said:- "The programme to move Government roles out of London is a key part of the plan to deliver on the Prime Minister's top priorities, particularly when it comes to growing the economy across the whole UK. By putting local voices at the heart of policy-making, we're also moving power out of Westminster and into the hands of communities. I am so pleased to be in Manchester today as we kick off construction on the new 1st Street Government Hub, which will enable hundreds of jobs to move to Manchester and bring millions of pounds to the local economy."

The Places for Growth programme has committed to moving 22,000 roles out of London by 2030. Its core aim is to utilise the vast talent pool spread across the UK, whilst ensuring that the civil service is reflective of the communities it serves. The 11,168 roles relocated so far mean that over half of this target has been met in less than 3 years, with further roles set to move in the near future.  These include 700 roles, which will move to the Manchester 1st Street Hub, a c12,000 square metre development which will open in 2025 to provide a new home for civil servants currently based in Manchester, in addition to staff relocated from London. Once complete the site will be 1 of the largest for cross-Government collaboration outside London, providing office accommodation and different types of areas for people to work and collaborate, as well as enabling efficiencies through digitally-enabled office space.

Ben Rimmington, a Director General at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, was previously based in London before moving North to be closer to family. He said:- "It has been a really fantastic experience to lead the growth of the BEIS and now DESNZ presence in Salford. I have been hugely impressed by the collective commitment to show that you don't have to be in London all the time to do even the most senior 'Whitehall' jobs, and I think people are seeing that you can now build a rewarding, varied career in the Civil Service without having to move to the South East."
 

Short supply and heavy demand widens the car thief's net

NEW data analysis from stolen vehicle recovery expert (SVR), Tracker Network UK Limited confirms that the Range Rover Sport continues to be its most commonly stolen and recovered car. However, Tracker's 2022 data has also revealed that not only has another premium SUV model become favourable among thieves, but hybrid vehicles are now rich pickings for criminals. The Lexus RX 450h enters Tracker's top 10 most stolen and recovered league table, which is the 1st time a Lexus vehicle has ever appeared in its annual review of stolen and recovered vehicles. A sharp rise in thefts of the Lexus RX450h in the 2nd half of the year indicates it's likely to remain a target for thieves. The Volkswagen Golf has re-entered Tracker's top 10 with an average value of £10k; it last appeared in 2017. The highest value stolen car recovered by Tracker in 2022 was a Mercedes Benz AMG with a retail price of £182,000, and the lowest value car recovered was an Audi A4, priced at £1,000.

Clive Wain, Head of Police Liaison at Tracker said:- "As the U.K. accelerates towards its ambition of achieving zero emissions, so too has the take up of hybrid and electric vehicles by private and company car drivers. And with increasing demand comes a greater risk of these vehicles being targeted by thieves. Crucially however, our 2022 data highlights that it's not just premium and nearly new cars being targeted by thieves. An ongoing lack of parts for new car manufacturing - primarily microchips; has boosted demand in the 2nd hand car market and in turn, created an opportunity professional criminals have been quick to take advantage of. Furthermore, a shortfall in vehicle parts supply has also hit the service, maintenance and repair sector, creating another lucrative opportunity for professional car thieves. 2022 saw a U.K. boom in:- 'chop shops,' buildings containing stolen vehicles to be stripped down for their expensive parts to be sold on, on the black market. Police uncovered 32 illegal chop shops in 2022 as a result of us locating stolen vehicles belonging to our customers being hidden there. What's more, these recoveries resulted in the Police also uncovering 100s of non Tracker fitted vehicles, as well as seize valuable vehicle parts worth millions of pounds."

Keyless car theft and 'relay attack' continues to challenge manufacturers, as Tracker's latest data confirms. The level of vehicle theft carried out through this method has significantly increased over the years. In 2017, 80% of all vehicles stolen and recovered were stolen without using the owner's keys, it now stands at 93% in 2022.

Continues Clive Wain:- "It remains a difficult time for car owners but a multi layer approach to vehicle security will go a long way in protecting vehicles. Criminals continue to find ways around new security technology, which is why we always encourage motorists to use traditional security deterrents such as crook locks and wheel clamps to deter criminals and protect their vehicles. An investment in smart doorbells or a CCTV system are also increasingly popular amongst those keen to guard against unwanted visitors. Indeed, they have become a valuable means to helping Police solve vehicle crime. However, in the event of a theft, stolen vehicle tracking technology will significantly help Police quickly locate the vehicle and return it to its rightful owner before it is sold on, broken down for parts or shipped abroad."

Tracker is the only SVR provider offering vehicle tracking systems that are supported nationwide by UK Police Forces. Its detection units are fitted in over 2000 Police patrol vehicles and throughout the national fleet of Police helicopters that comprise the National Police Air Service (NPAS).