The UK government has appointed David Goldstone as the new Value for Money chair, a role designed to ensure greater accountability and efficiency in public spending.
Earning a £950 daily rate, Goldstone’s appointment aligns with Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s recent budget statement, where she emphasized the need for maximizing the value of every taxpayer pound.
His tenure is set for one year, with a mandate to reform public expenditure systems and improve policy outcomes.
David Goldstone will work closely with Chancellor Reeves and Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones, advising on ways to enhance efficiency across government projects.
His role, which operates independently from the Treasury, is expected to involve around one day per week of advisory work, focusing on cost savings, project accountability, and reform measures to curb excessive spending.
“I am honoured to have been appointed by the chancellor and chief secretary to this important role,” said Goldstone. “I look forward to working within the government over the coming year to bring renewed focus to ensuring we deliver maximum value for the public in how money is spent,” he said.
Goldstone’s background includes high-level roles such as non-executive director of the Submarine Delivery Agency and HS2 Ltd, as well as previous CEO of Parliament’s Restoration and Renewal Delivery Authority.
His expertise includes overseeing the successful £9.3 billion public investment in the 2012 Olympic Games infrastructure—a key asset in tackling government efficiency in high-stakes projects.
Treasury’s “Guardrails” Approach Reinforces Accountability in Public Spending
Chief Secretary Darren Jones underscored the importance of financial “guardrails” to ensure that public sector projects remain on budget and timely, citing past challenges where inadequate oversight led to overspending.
This emphasis on accountability, transparency, and value for money aligns with the government’s strategic push to secure a sustainable public finance structure.
According to a Treasury spokesperson, Goldstone’s extensive experience managing complex, high-value government programs will bring “independent rigor” to the UK’s value-for-money initiative.
His role is part of a broader government effort to enhance trust in public sector finances and demonstrate to taxpayers that each public pound is spent wisely and effectively.
