A new statutory board could take control of all government land and property assets worth £1.37bn under proposals to be considered by Tynwald.
The government currently holds assets including police stations, the airport, schools and the prison, but ownership and management remain fragmented across departments.
A report seeking support for the principle of a Statutory Board says: “Government lacks a unified, accountable approach to managing its land and property portfolio.
“This weakens its ability to safeguard asset condition, plan strategically, reduce costs, and clearly demonstrate value for money to Tynwald and the public.”
The proposed board would consolidate ownership and management authority, including the power “to plan, control, maintain, develop, lease, allocate, and protect the public estate”.
Tiered
A tiered framework is suggested, ranging from full centralisation to retained departmental autonomy.
The prison is given as a Tier 4 example, where the board would maintain the external envelope but the Department of Home Affairs would handle internal operations.
Tynwald unanimously supported a similar call to “transfer control of all government land and buildings to a single strategic body” in November 2018, but implementation was delayed.
A Transfer of Functions Order would be brought to the May sitting of Tynwald if the principle is supported. The project would be delivered in three phases, with Phase 1 running to May 2027.