The delivery and value for money of the Government’s Unboxed festival is to be examined by the UK’s independent public spending watchdog
In a letter, published today, the Comptroller and Auditor General, Gareth Davies, confirms that the National Audit Office (NAO) expects to be able to publish a report on the costs and benefits, management and planning of the project by the end of the year.
The Public spending watchdog is to report on value for money of £120million project by end of year.There were reported visitor numbers for Government’s ‘celebration of creativity’ less than 240,000, compared with 66million target and theDCMS Committee report warned of ‘irresponsible use of public money’
The Committee has previously criticised the delivery of the festival. Its report in March on major cultural and sporting events concluded that the £120million investment was ‘an irresponsible use of public money’ given the Government’s own admission that it does not know what it is for. The Committee warned that it is ‘far from clear’ that it will deliver a return on investment.
In its response to the Report, the Government maintained that Unboxed would still be a success, insisting that the event would ‘showcase the UK’s world-leading creativity and innovation in key markets and meaningfully contribute to our global positioning’.
In August, an article on Unboxed published by Politics Home reported visitor numbers for the festival of 238,000, compared with a ‘stretch target’ of 66 million.
The Committee will expect to hear from the Government and Unboxed management team after the NAO concludes its investigation.
Chair of the DCMS Committee Julian Knight MP said:
“That such an exorbitant amount of public cash has been spent on a so-called celebration of creativity that has barely failed to register in the public consciousness raises serious red flags about how the project has been managed from conception through to delivery. The NAO’s investigation will bring welcome and thorough scrutiny and help get to the bottom of how so much tax-payer money could be frittered away for so little return.”
