Overspend has nothing to do with the ODA according to MPs

The cost of staging the 2012 Olympic Games is heading 拢1.7bn over budget to 拢11bn but the expected overspend has nothing to do with the 鈥渆xemplary鈥� Olympic Delivery Authority, which managed construction of the Games venues, according to a committee of MPs.

Margaret Hodge MP, chair of the Committee of Public Accounts, said a 鈥渟taggering鈥� increase in security spending and expected increases in Games and legacy delivery costs were to blame for the expected overspend.

The committee also raised concerns about the lack of clarity on who was accountable to parliament for delivery of the Games鈥� legacy benefits.

Hodge said the government had dispersed responsibility for legacy delivery 鈥渁cross many different parts of government鈥� and this had rung 鈥渁larm bells鈥�.

She warned the Olympic stadium 鈥渕ust not become a white elephant鈥� after legacy plans for it fell through.

The committee also called on the government to provide clarity on how much public money would be set aside for the east London boroughs鈥� legacy plans.

The government originally allocated 拢9.3bn for the construction, delivery and legacy costs of the Games.

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