Local authorities achieve best value through partnering and demonstration Available to Purchase

Put together, local and central government spending on construction accounts for 40% of all construction in the UK, making the public sector the construction industry's single most important client group. Bearing in mind that a third of construction time and money is wasted in the construction process, cost-savings of ten percent could produce annual savings of more than £1·5 billion for local authorities. Improving the value of the construction product is the premise behind Rethinking Construction. Its principles of partnership, respect for people and an emphasis on quality rather than lowest cost, dovetail with those of best value—a Government initiative to encourage local authorities to take account of whole-life costs, rather than cheapest initial costs. Rethinking Construction also supports local authority objectives such as regeneration, improving skills of local people and improving the quality and sustainability of the urban environment. With the help of the Local Government Task Force (LGTF) which champions Rethinking Construction at local government level, local authorities are increasingly adopting Rethinking Construction practices, evidenced in the increase in Movement for Innovation (M4I) demonstration projects put forward by local authorities in recent months. To illustrate how Rethinking Construction principles work in action, the LGTF actively seeks projects that demonstrate some form of innovative approach to construction, whether they be new build, refurbishment, maintenance or repair. This is just the beginning. As the Audit Commission looks for evidence that local authorities are applying best value in their construction procurement processes, examples of Rethinking Construction in practice will become increasingly widespread within local government.