Olympics cost controller picks up £10m windfall
Consortium tasked with controlling 2012 costs paid £10m bonus
A £10m bonus paid to the consortium charged with controlling costs for the
2012 Olympics has been attacked by MPs.
The government confirmed that partner CLM was paid the fee as it provided a
detailed breakdown of costs for the games.
Shadow Olympics minister Hugh Robertson told the FT: ‘On a day when
the government admitted the £500m for contingency it had earmarked for the
Olympic Delivery Authority has already been absorbed into the budget, it seems
curious to pay the delivery partner a bonus for keeping the costs down.’
Philip Davies, a Tory MP on the culture, media and sport select committee
said it was ‘ironic’ that the costs of the body tasked with cost-control were
escalating.
Minister for the Olympics Tessa Jowell confirmed that it had taken £500m from
a contingency fund for the ODA to cover ‘the cost pressures on early projects’.
The total cost of the event is forecast to be £9.3bn.
The budget for managing the games will now be £647m as compared to the £16m
budgeted when London was awarded the games in 2005.
The government defended the £10m bonus, saying it was ‘spend to save’.
Further reading:
Read more from the the
ODA here
Union urges action over Olympic tax
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