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The UK government has appointed David Goldstone, a former executive on several projects that went significantly over-budget, as the head of the new Office for Value for Money (OfVM), which will advise Chancellor Rachel Reeves on “how to root out waste and inefficiency.” Goldstone’s previous roles include serving as finance and programme director of the Government Olympic Executive, overseeing the delivery of the 2012 London Olympics (costing three times their original budget of £2.4bn) and working on the HS2 high-speed rail project, which will at least double its initial budget of £38bn. He was also CEO of the Houses of Parliament Restoration and Renewal project, receiving criticism for a £168,000 bonus despite delays costing about £100m annually in maintenance costs.
The appointment has been criticised, with some claiming that Goldstone’s record makes him unsuitable for the role. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, for example, claims that HS2 is the “very opposite of value for money” while Conservative leadership hopeful Kemi Badenoch argues that an office dedicated to determining value for money is unnecessary, insisting that the civil service should be able to achieve this on its own.
Despite these criticisms, the government has defended Goldstone’s appointment, citing his experience on “complex high-value programmes.” The OfVM will have a team of 20 civil servants working under Goldstone, who will hold the position for at least a year, with the possibility of an extension. Goldstone’s salary is reported to be around £50,000 a year for an average workload of one day per week
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