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Contact: |
David Howells, Director of Corporate Services Tel: 023 8064 4000 Ext 203 |
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1 |
Introduction |
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1.1 |
Last year (2000/01) the budget for the repair and maintenance of buildings was overspent as a result of the need to deal with a number of unplanned and relatively expensive schemes. As a consequence of this overspend, the Authority (at its meeting on 24 September 2001) accepted that compensating savings in the budget would need to be made in the current year and resolved that the cash limits for the repairs and maintenance of buildings budgets would be reduced by £141,000 in 2001/02. |
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1.2 |
This action will inevitably result in the Authority falling further behind schedule with its planned maintenance programme and also in dealing with a range of other known building defects. |
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2 |
Current programme of works 2001/02 |
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2.1 |
The revised cash limits for the various budgets associated with buildings repair and maintenance can be summarised as follows: |
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Revised Cash Limit 2001/02 |
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£'000s |
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General Maintenance |
195 |
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Planned Maintenance |
95 |
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Mechanical Maintenance |
117 |
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Electrical Maintenance |
71 |
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Asbestos survey and removal |
20 |
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Funding for "Self-help" Schemes |
16 |
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Professional fees |
60 |
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Total |
574 |
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2.2 |
The budget for mechnical maintenance is largely uncommitted at this stage in the year because most problems tend to be associated with heating systems and these generally occur during the winter months. However, the budgets for planned and general maintenance are already fully committed to fund a number of schemes/repairs - many of which have been outstanding for a considerable time. |
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2.3 |
These two budget headings tend to be used interchangably because the distinction between `general' and `planned' maintenance can get blurred - especially when schemes of work include elements of both. It is therefore more helpful to consider the total of these two budgets as the amount available for the general repair and maintenance of buildings (ie £290,000 for 2001/02). For the future, a single budget heading will be used to avoid any confusion. |
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2.4 |
Approximately £110,000 has been set aside to meet day-to-day maintenance issues and to provide a reasonable working contingency to cover unplanned/urgent repairs. The remainder (£180,000) has been earmarked to cover works which are deemed to be urgent or of high priority, including the following schemes: |
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Brief description of scheme |
Estimated cost |
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Location |
Nature of Work |
£'000s |
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Lower Brook Street, Winchester |
Central heating defects and upgrade(6 properties) |
31 |
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Fareham Fire Station |
Central heating |
31 |
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Fleet Fire Station |
Refurbishment |
16 |
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Andover Fire Station |
Asbestos removal |
29 |
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Basingstoke Fire Stn |
Water Penetration |
3 |
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Eastleigh Fire Stn |
Foam tank cradles |
15 |
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Winchester Fire Stn |
Drill Yard repairs |
5 |
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Whitchurch Fire Stn |
Renew Appliance Room doors |
6 |
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61/63 Alresford Road, Winchester |
Roof repairs |
15 |
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Hightown Fire Station |
Timber treatment |
5 |
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Bishops Waltham Fire Station |
Drill Tower Repairs |
5 |
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Training Centre Annexe |
Office alterations |
3 |
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60 North Walls, Winchester |
Exterior redecoration |
2 |
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60 North Walls, |
Kitchen units |
4 |
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Wickham Fire Station |
Drill Tower Repairs |
6 |
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Odiham Fire Station |
Exterior redecoration |
4 |
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Estimated total commitment |
180 |
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3 |
Commitments against 2002/03 |
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3.1 |
The budget for general repairs and maintenance in 2002/03 is already substantially committed. The value of works already identified is estimated to total over £292,000 against a forward budget provision of £441,000 (for the two relevant budget headings). However, these commitments do not take account of any additional work arising from the updated condition survey (which is due within the next month). No `planned maintenance' works have been included, and the remaining balance (£149,000) will need to be set aside as a working contingency to cover defects and repairs that arise during the year. The following list includes several schemes which have had to be deferred from the current year. |
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Brief description of scheme |
Estimated cost |
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Location |
Nature of Work |
£'000s |
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Havant Fire Stn |
Drill Yard Repairs |
40 |
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Basingstoke Fire Stn |
Water penetration to basement |
5 |
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Basingstoke Fire Stn |
Electrical Works (office alterations) |
3 |
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Redbridge Hill Fire Stn |
Asbestos removal |
16 |
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Redbridge Hill Fire Stn |
Roof replacement |
34 |
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Andover Fire Station |
Exhaust extraction |
4 |
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Droxford Fire Stn |
Forecourt repairs |
6 |
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Hartley Wintney Fire Station |
Forecourt repairs |
5 |
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Grayshott Fire Stn |
Curtain walling |
20 |
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Workshops, Winnall |
Engineering shop floor |
33 |
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36 Wolversdene Road |
Window replacement |
5 |
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Burley Fire Station |
Access alterations |
2 |
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Fareham Fire Station |
Convert smoke chamber to oil |
4 |
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Horndean Fire Stn |
Curtain walling |
15 |
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Stockbridge Fire Stn |
Curtain walling |
15 |
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HFRS Headquarters |
Ladies WC refurbishment |
7 |
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HFRS Headquarters |
Gents WC refurbishment |
7 |
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Workshops, Winnall |
Yard repairs |
5 |
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Lyndhurst Fire Stn |
Demolish annexe |
10 |
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Fire Precaution work |
Various sites (TBA) |
50 |
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C Division HQ |
Toilet refurbishment - male/female/disabled/ Shower (top-up for SCA funding) |
6 |
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Total |
292 |
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4 |
Future Funding needs |
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4.1 |
Our property services adviser considers that the Authority's budgets for the repair and maintenance of buildings are now insufficient to meet the needs identified in the condition survey. There is concern that over the next eighteen months there is little or no scope to carry out planned or preventative maintenance works (e.g. external decoration). |
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4.2 |
Based on current information, it is estimated that a sum in excess of £75,000 would need to be added to the annual buildings maintenance budget simply to achieve a modest programme of external decoration of buildings (based on a five-yearly cycle). This sum would not, however, enable the authority to clear the existing backlog of planned maintenance work. To make a significant impact on this backlog it is estimated that a further £100,000 will be required in 2002/03; and £150,000 in 2003/04. |
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4.3 |
The Committee is therefore asked to consider making a recommendation to the Authority that the budget for the repair and planned maintenance of buildings be substantially increased. An indication of the minimum increase required is put at £175,000 in 2002/03 and £225,000 in 2003/04. It is considered that this level of investment will enable the Authority to start to get back on schedule with a programme of planned maintenance. |
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5 |
Supplementary Credit Approvals |
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5.1 |
Although the Authority was unsuccessful in obtaining Supplementary Credit Approval to support the re-building of the community fire station at St Mary's, Southampton; approval was obtained for the following three schemes: |
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1 |
Training Centre, Eastleigh |
£141,000 |
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2 |
C Division Headquarters |
£22,000 |
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B Division Headquarters |
£51,000 |
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5.2 |
Progress on the Training Centre and B Division Headquarters schemes will be reported to the Authority at its meeting in December (see report on the Copnor building also on the Committee's agenda. However, approval is now sought to proceed with the scheme to make the necessary adaptations to the C Division Headquarters toilet facilities in order to improve access for the disabled. A recommendation to this effect is included. |
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6 |
European Convention on Human Rights and the Human Rights Act 1998 |
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6.1 |
The proposals within this report are compatible with the provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights and the Human Rights Act 1998. |
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Recommendations to the Authority |
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1 |
That the budget for the repair and maintenance of buildings be increased substantially in order to sustain a reasonable programme of planned maintenance; and, that the Authority be requested to consider this as a priority when drafting its revenue budget for the next three years. |
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2 |
That the scheme to adapt/refurbish toilet facilities as C Division Headquarters be approved to proceed on the basis that this is supported by Supplementary Credit Approval to a value of £22,000. |
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Section 100D - Local Government Act 1972 - background papers |
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The following documents disclose the facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of the report. |
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None |
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NB The list excludes: |
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1 Published works |
2 Documents that disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act |
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Dir-fin HFRA FGP 24 10 01 Buildings (16 10 01) |
