To make savings, particularly in energy, ministries will have to think less big. Bercy intends to “reduce the surface area occupied by the Administration by 25%”, announces Minister Delegate for Public Accounts Thomas Cazenave in La Tribune Sundaywithout specifying a timetable.
“I want to carry out an ambitious reform of State real estate,” declared the minister in a joint interview with the Minister of Economy and Finance, Bruno Le Maire.
A heritage of 94.5 million square meters
“It’s a real lever for sobriety, particularly given new forms of work. The ratio of surface area per public agent is today 24 square meters, much higher than that of the private sector. We want to reduce it to 16 square meters. This can also involve property transfers,” explains Thomas Cazenave.
The newspaper recalls that the real estate assets of the State and public organizations include 192,000 buildings and 30,000 plots of land covering 94.5 million square meters, half of which are for National Education and the armies.
“All ministers will be concerned”
This project is part of the public spending review launched this week by Matignon, supposed to contribute to generating 12 billion euros in savings in 2025. “There will be no immunity. All ministers will be concerned,” assures the minister. “There is no shortage of subjects: housing, clearer decentralization, public broadcasting, the maquis of social assistance and their payment methods…”, he continues. The results of the reviews should be known in early March.