Press Release - Preparations for the London 2012 Olympic and
Paralympic Games: Progress report June 2008
20 June 2008
In its progress report on the Olympic and Paralympic Games the
National Audit Office has found that with four years to go until
the start of the Games, the preparations have progressed in
important ways. In particular, there has been good progress in
preparing the Olympic Park site and construction activities are
broadly on track. The report draws out the areas where attention
should now focus to achieve the objectives for the Games.
There is now a clear basis for tracking costs; and work to keep the
costs within the agreed £9,325 million budget is continuing. The
latest forecast costs for the high profile venues, including the
Main Stadium and the Aquatics Centre, are higher than expected,
offset by reduced forecasts elsewhere including on site preparation
and infrastructure.
Beyond the imperative to deliver on time and budget, the report
identifies four areas where continuing attention is going to be
particularly important to achieving the successful delivery and
lasting benefits of the Games:
- finalising a good value deal with the private sector for the
Olympic Village - the largest single project in the London 2012
programme – which will be challenging given the current
uncertainties in the financial and property markets;
- fully developing and then integrating policing and wider
security into the planning for the Games so that requirements can
be met cost effectively;
- providing clarity about the park and the venues legacy benefits
beyond 2012 - the longer the requirements are unclear the higher
the risk that legacy will be compromised by the need to deliver the
Games on time; and,
- the need for programme-wide risk management besides that
already in place for individual projects.
Tim Burr, head of the National Audit Office, said
today:
“The preparations for the Games are well underway. But important
challenges remain which will become more formidable as the
spotlight turns to London after the Beijing Games. Uncertainties
over the deal for the village, legacy requirements and policing and
security may add cost or compromise the preparations for a
successful Games. The delivery bodies need to maintain a firm
stance on cost and keep in sight the intended legacy benefits
too.”
Notes for Editors:
- Press notices and reports are available from the date of
publication on the NAO website, which is at www.nao.org.uk. Hard
copies can be obtained from The Stationery Office on 0845 702
3474.
- The Comptroller and Auditor General, Tim Burr, is the head of
the National Audit Office which employs some 850 staff. He and the
NAO are totally independent of Government. He certifies the
accounts of all Government departments and a wide range of other
public sector bodies; and he has statutory authority to report to
Parliament on the economy, efficiency and effectiveness with which
departments and other bodies have used their resources.
Press Notice 28/08
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