The proposed provisions will create the statutory body, set out its general functions, dissolve the present company and transfer its staff and resources to the statutory body, which will also retain the name. However CABE will not become a statutory consultee for planning purposes.
Andrew McIntosh said:
"We welcome the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Bill and the opportunity it provides to put CABE on a statutory basis. It is appropriate to include this measure in a Bill about improving the quality of the environment. This is very much what CABE is all about, through promoting the very best of architecture, urban design and public space. A statutory body would best discharge these functions.
"CABE has important public duties including provision of practical support and advice on design quality to a wide range of clients in both public and private bodies. This will confirm CABE's status as the champion for architecture and the design of public space in England. Having achieved so much in its first five years, putting CABE on a statutory basis is a strong sign of our confidence in its abilities and future."
Notes to Editors
1. CABE is an executive non-departmental public body sponsored by DCMS. CABE is the national champion for better design of England's buildings, places and spaces. Its purpose is to demonstrate the ability of great architecture and design to transform people's quality of life. It receives funding from both DCMS, £4.03 million in 2004-05, and from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, £8 million in 2004-05. For further information on CABE, see
http://www.cabe.org.uk/.
2. In its first five years, CABE has
· delivered practical support to 1,400 individual building projects including schools, libraries, parks, hospitals, police stations and embassies; these have a collective value of over £20 billion, including just in terms of the public purse, education projects worth £1 billion, health projects totalling £1.8 billion and arts buildings worth £0.25 billion
· built up a network of 16 architecture and built environment centres around the country, engaging in community participation, young people's education, project advice and skills development, now reaching 25% of the population of England
· made a significant impact on young people's education, building an education network with almost 900 members and producing educational resources for every age group from Key Stage 2 to A Level.
3. When CABE was set up in 1999, it was constituted as a company limited by guarantee under the Companies Act. This was an interim measure and this proposal fulfils a Government commitment that it would seek to give CABE a statutory basis when a legislative opportunity arose. A previous attempt was made with the Culture and Recreation Bill, but it was unable to complete its Parliamentary passage because of the general election in 2001.
4. Part 8 of the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Bill makes provision for CABE to exist as a statutory body. In framing these provisions, the starting point has been CABE's existing memorandum and articles of association, so there are no fundamental changes to its present functions or powers. Appointments to the Board of CABE will remain the responsibility of the Secretary of State, and the existing Commissioners will continue to serve until the end of their appointed terms. The employment of the staff of CABE will continue under their existing terms and conditions.
5. Statutory status will not affect CABE's role in practice; it will continue to discharge its functions and its day-to-day activities will be the same as before. Its accountability to Parliament, however, will be enhanced. There is no intention to change CABE's valuable role as a non-statutory consultee for planning purposes.
6. CABE will have a duty to discharge its functions in England, and will also continue to be able to operate outside England and the UK. The intention is that this will only be by invitation, and that CABE will have to charge separately for any such work.
7. Placing CABE on a statutory footing will also improve accountability because the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG), who is responsible to Parliament, will be able to take over the audit of CABE. This is in line with the general undertaking the Government gave in response to the Sharman Report ("Audit and Accountability in Central Government: The Government's Response to Lord Sharman's Report 'Holding to Account'", HM Treasury, March 2002), that in future to improve public accountability, all executive Non-Departmental Public Bodies should be audited by the C&AG.
