extremely unpalatable.
(Going on the British Council
estimates which forecast higher running costs in the new building, the increase would be double that).
They can be expected to say that they will have to reconsider collocating in the new building. They will remind
4.
us that the FCO told the British Council on various occasions
that the Council's contribution to the new building would be limited to a share of running costs; that moving into the new building is in a sense a risk for them (close connection with official British representation post 1997 not necessarily an advantage, moving from a well established office to a different part of town may cause problems in sustaining students numbers etc); and that they were persuaded, against their inclinations, by a Ministerial wish to collocate.
5.
In a worst case scenario, the British Council could pull
out obliging us to redesign the building with concomitant
delays and costs.
6.
In the meeting Mr Hum will wish to explain the Treasury view and our belief that there remains scope for reviewing the figures (and stripping out some irrelevant elements, bringing
running costs down) and for further negotiation with the
Treasury (on the rent). He may wish to have a private word with Mr Davey in which he might spell out the realities more
starkly; i.e. while it is not fair that the British Council should be penalised for complying with Ministers' wishes, they should expect to pay more than now for improved and expanded
accommodation.
My Daves Dvs.
Deborah Barnes Jones
humbc.CONGEN.dbj
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