Enterprise leaders have accused the UK Authorities of “watering down” its dedication to base a whole lot of power civil servants in Aberdeen, as Power Voice can reveal simply 35 further roles shall be moved to the town by 2027.
The quantity is much fewer than the 200 Division for Power Safety and Internet Zero (DESNZ) roles that preliminary media stories steered may very well be moved to Aberdeen.
The stories adopted a UK Authorities announcement in December final yr outlining plans to determine a second DESNZ headquarters in Aberdeen.
The brand new DESNZ base got here as a part of wider authorities plans to relocate 22,000 civil service roles away from London.
The prospect of a whole lot of civil servants transferring to Aberdeen was heralded as “improbable information for the area” and a possible enhance to struggling metropolis centre retail.
And Aberdeen enterprise leaders advised Power Voice that “any watering down of the 200 jobs that had been promised by the UK authorities can be extraordinarily disappointing”.
DESNZ in Aberdeen
Saying the plans, the UK authorities stated the Aberdeen transfer to determine a DESNZ base in Aberdeen aimed to “additional strengthen the Union” and place key determination making roles in each nook of the UK.
Scottish Secretary Allister Jack stated the transfer demonstrated the UK authorities’s dedication to the North East of Scotland and the oil and fuel and renewable power sectors.
“They each have a significant function in making certain our power safety and aiding with our transition to internet zero,” Mr Jack stated.
In the meantime, power minister and West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine MP Andrew Bowie stated the choice of Aberdeen for the second headquarters underlines the significance of the area within the UK’s internet zero transition.
“An Aberdeen base places these working within the division nearer to these working within the essential oil fuel and renewables industries – each the businesses and the tens of hundreds of their employees who play a significant function in our power provide – and I’m delighted to see this occur,” he stated.
However the lack of readability from the UK Authorities on the precise variety of jobs transferring to Aberdeen appeared to trigger confusion amongst senior Conservative figures.
Mr Bowie heralded the transfer on social media, retweeting a Press and Journal headline which declared “a whole lot of civil servant roles” had been headed for the North East.
We now have one other HQ! 🥳@energygovuk’s second Headquarters in Aberdeen will put the UK Authorities on the doorstep of key gamers within the power sector, in a area very important for our power safety and transition to internet zero. 🇬🇧 pic.twitter.com/YpLHxqSMqJ
— Andrew Bowie MP (@AndrewBowie_MP) December 11, 2023
In the meantime, Minister for the Cupboard Workplace John Glen MP advised the BBC that “a whole lot extra” power departments civil servants would come to work and stay in Aberdeen.
Lack of readability on DESNZ numbers
Nevertheless, a spokesperson for DESNZ confirmed to Power Voice that an extra 35 roles had been anticipated to be based mostly in Aberdeen by 2027, up from the roughly 100 departmental workers already based mostly within the Granite Metropolis.
The present 100 DESNZ workers in Aberdeen contains roles inside the environmental operator OPRED.
The town can also be dwelling to the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) and the Internet Zero Expertise Centre (NZTC), with the latter backed by UK Authorities and Scottish Authorities funding.
Whereas the preliminary UK authorities announcement didn’t specify the variety of further DESNZ roles set to be based mostly in Aberdeen, the Monetary Instances reported a determine of 200 in line with “individuals acquainted with the plan”.
The information of “a whole lot” of roles transferring to Aberdeen was broadly reported within the media, together with in Power Voice, and the UK authorities and DESNZ officers didn’t subject a correction.
Power Voice understands the preliminary announcement was drafted by the Cupboard Workplace, moderately than DESNZ officers, which had created “confusion” over the precise variety of roles set to be relocated.
The Cupboard Workplace declined to remark for this story, referring inquiries to DESNZ.
The Prime Minister’s workplace additionally declined to remark.
Whereas additional power civil servant roles may very well be relocated to Aberdeen sooner or later, neither DESNZ nor the Cupboard Workplace recognized any definitive plans past 2027.
Final yr’s announcement had been broadly welcomed by Aberdeen enterprise leaders, with Aberdeen Grampian Chamber of Commerce (AGCC) calling it “improbable information for the area”.
The prospect of a whole lot of civil servants being based mostly near Union Road had led to optimism from the Chamber that it might present a lift to struggling metropolis centre retail.
Watered down dedication ‘extraordinarily disappointing’
Reinvigorating Union Road has additionally been a key focus for the AGCC, which has campaigned for any further power civil servants to be based mostly within the metropolis centre.
In response to the AGCC marketing campaign, UK Power Minister Graham Stuart had dedicated to making sure the Authorities Property Company factored the ‘Our Union Road‘ initiative into its planning for the second DESNZ headquarters.
However in response to DESNZ confirming simply 35 roles are set to be moved to the Granite Metropolis, AGCC coverage adviser Fergus Mutch stated any watering down of the 200 jobs dedication can be “extraordinarily disappointing”.
“If the UK authorities is critical about pursuing a levelling-up agenda that works for all areas of the UK, then they need to look severely at relocating civil service jobs from Whitehall,” Mr Mutch stated.
“Within the case of capabilities referring to power safety and internet zero then it makes an abundance of sense for these to be positioned within the North East of Scotland — the area that may lead the UK’s power transition and is dwelling to the nation’s world class power sector and provide chain.
“Any watering down of the 200 jobs that had been promised by the UK authorities can be extraordinarily disappointing and we’re eager to interact on the element of their plans to make sure that their authentic dedication is honoured.”
Mr Mutch stated the Chamber had provided to help efforts to discover a appropriate workplace premises for DESNZ in Aberdeen.
In the meantime, North East power business professional Dick Winchester stated the relocation of simply 35 roles to the brand new DESNZ base bolstered his view that the preliminary announcement was “tokenism, and due to this fact fully political”.
Mr Winchester stated he wouldn’t put a lot hope within the transfer occurring in any respect, given the forthcoming basic election and the shortage of certainty over whether or not any potential incoming Labour would comply with by way of with the plans.
SNP MP for Gordon, Richard Thomson, referred to as for Andrew Bowie to return earlier than the Home of Commons to elucidate the state of affairs.
He stated “The information that solely 35 jobs shall be created in Aberdeen, regardless of the UK authorities promising ‘a whole lot’, is deeply disappointing.
“The North East finds itself on the forefront of the inexperienced power renewable goldrush, however that potential can solely be reached if the funding and jobs include it.
“Andrew Bowie should come earlier than the Home on the earliest alternative and proper this error, and clarify why Aberdeen is as soon as once more being ignored. The way forward for the North East is much too vital.
“Nevertheless, that is what we have now come to count on from Westminster – who’re blissful to squander Scotland’s huge pure sources to be able to prop up the books of the UK Treasury.
“There may be little question that Scotland’s power ought to be in Scotland’s arms. We now have the power, we simply want the facility.”
‘More durable to construct a profession’
Institute for Authorities civil service researcher Jordan City advised Power Voice that having a smaller variety of DESNZ civil servants in Aberdeen will make it tougher for officers to construct a profession within the metropolis.
“Bold officers want to have the ability to transfer between jobs – ideally, really, between a number of departments – to advance up the civil service,” Mr City stated.
“A part of the query is the kind of workplace that the federal government desires to construct in Aberdeen.
“If it desires it to incorporate senior and coverage roles, having so few officers based mostly within the metropolis is unnecessary.”
Nevertheless, Mr City stated if the federal government is concentrating on extra operational and mid-level roles, “their revised method is extra wise and can nonetheless present some native individuals with a superb profession”.
“However this latter choice just isn’t actually a ‘second HQ’, extra of an extra workplace, and can have much less affect on the workings of the civil service as an entire,” he stated.
Mr City stated Aberdeen’s largest power is its variety of energy-relevant exterior stakeholders. However its largest weak point is the small variety of civil service roles within the metropolis.
“If the civil service desires to make Aberdeen work, it ought to make certain there are a considerable variety of civil service roles that officers can transfer between to advance their profession, and sufficient senior workers to provide the workplace its personal centre of gravity,” he stated.
Mr City stated one of the simplest ways to do that is to determine a ‘Internet Zero Campus’ within the metropolis, incorporating civil servants from a number of departments.
What about GB Power?
Whereas Aberdeen enterprise leaders could also be upset that fewer DESNZ civil servants are headed to the North East, the Granite Metropolis should still be in line for a jobs enhance if Labour wins the subsequent basic election.
Labour has outlined plans to determine GB Power, a publicly-owned power agency which can purpose to make the UK a “clear power superpower”.
The taxpayer-owned firm can be created to construct jobs and provide chains, along with a Nationwide Wealth Fund to speculate alongside the non-public sector in gigafactories, clear metal crops, renewable-ready ports, inexperienced hydrogen and power storage.
Labour has beforehand stated GB Power shall be based mostly in Scotland, and through a go to to Aberdeen final yr shadow local weather change minister Ed Miliband stated the Granite Metropolis has a “robust declare” to host its headquarters.
GB Power is ready to have an preliminary deal with floating offshore wind, with plans for an £8.3 billion funding if Labour wins energy.
Nevertheless, Labour chief Sir Keir Starmer made the announcement in South Wales alongside newly appointed Welsh First Minister Vaughan Gething, which might sign the potential for a looming competitors between Wales and Scotland for the precise to host GB Power.
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