Government challenges York council leader’s claim that 2,600 more jobs are heading to the city

The York council leader’s claim that 2,600 government jobs are coming to the city has been challenged by Whitehall.

We reported an update on plans to create a civil service hub as part of the York Central development yesterday.

Council leader Keith Aspden said the council had been told it would mean 2,600 civil servants would be relocated to York, but this figure has not been confirmed by the Cabinet Office.

The new hub, set to open by 2027, would have capacity for up to 2,600 workers, but there are already nearly 2,800 civil service jobs based in York.

The Cabinet Office has already announced that around 300 departmental jobs are coming to the city.

UK Security Vetting is currently based at Imphal Barracks in York.

Further roles could be on their way to York, but this has not been confirmed.

A government spokesperson said: “As part of the Government Hubs Programme, York will host a site with space for up to 2,600 civil servants by 2027.

“The hub will create a high quality, efficient workplace which will enable smarter working and support the development of career pathways.”