The Ministerial Group, established earlier this year to take forward the recommendations of two reports prepared for the Prime Minister on Public Sector Buildings, has produced an action plan presenting the targets for Government departments.

The Group agreed to pursue an action plan with each Government department being asked to give examples of current and planned public building projects within their own procurement programmes. The Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment will then be invited to highlight from these a selection of demonstration public building projects. An annual award for good design in public sector buildings will be considered.

Lord Falconer, Minister of State at the Cabinet Office, commended the excellent progress already made in recognising the importance of design quality as a key component of value for money in buildings.

He said: "The myth that lowest cost offers good value has been well and truly rejected. Best value is achieved by good design and investment in quality."

Departments will be invited to name a senior minister as Design Champion, so that the quality message is promoted from the top as well as being encouraged at project level. It is expected that other ministers responsible for major public building programmes will attend future meetings of the Group. Better training of 'clients' within Departments will be encouraged to assist in the procurement process.

A seminar for Government and the construction industry will be held later in the year, to discuss how to promote the value of good design in public building programmes.

Reviewing the content of the reports, the Ministerial Group endorsed the aim of re-establishing an ethos in which public buildings will set an example of excellence in design and construction and agreed that good public sector architecture is not simply about creating attractive buildings but can influence the way people behave and can act as a beacon for wider regeneration.

The Group agreed to meet again later in the summer to review progress and adopt further measures to ensure that Government's own building programme becomes once again an example of excellence.

Anna Lagerkvist