Archived decisions

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority

Item 3

Finance and General Purposes Committee

23 April 2003

Headquarters and Training Centre - Accommodation Rationalisation

Report of the Chief Fire Officer

Contact:

David Howells, Director of Corporate Services

Tel: 023 8064 4000 Ext 203

1

Introduction

1.1

Members will recall that the Asset Management Working Group previously felt unable to recommend to the Committee that either of the two options for rationalising and improving accommodation at the Headquarters site should proceed for the time being. Instead, officers were asked to draw up plans for a reduced scheme that would address only the most urgent needs - essentially those associated with the currently inadequate showers and changing areas within the Training Centre building. Some revised plans were discussed at the last meeting of the Working Group, but unfortunately it was concluded that they did not provide sufficient additional showers and changing space for trainees/course delegates. A further revised brief is being given to the architects.

1.2

The Working Group was made aware of an important new initiative that will, in all probability, have significant implications for the future use and development of accommodation at the Headquarters site. This concerns the allocation - to HFRS - of four specialist vehicles for dealing with mass contamination and search and rescue incidents under the `New Dimension' project. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) is considering the Service's proposal on the implications of deploying the vehicles to the Authority. There will be specific funding made available to the Authority to cover the cost of both crewing and accommodating the specialist vehicles. As part of this proposal a provisional `bid' has been made for £300,000 to meet the capital cost of providing appropriate vehicle garaging and related storage of equipment. All the indications are that this funding will be approved. It is anticipated that this will be in the form of a specific capital grant and/or Supplementary Credit Approval.

1.3

Members will also recall that, in taking the decision not to proceed with either of the buildings' rationalisation schemes on the grounds of affordability, the allocation of a Supplementary Credit Approval (SCA) (£141,000) to improve equality and diversity in the workplace would almost certainly be lost. The SCA was to have been used to fund elements within the overall scheme associated with improving showers, changing facilities and access for people with mobility disabilities. The scheme needed to have commenced by the end of 2002/03 to be assured of securing the SCA. Given the ODPM's request for HFRS to accommodate these new specialist vehicles - and to provide supporting storage space and associated training facilities - it was felt reasonable in the circumstances to ask the ODPM to allow the SCA allocation to be carried over to 2003/04 (and possibly to 2004/05).

1.4

Given this significant change of circumstances, and on the assumption that additional funding would be forthcoming from the ODPM, the Working Group felt that it would be the Authority's best financial interests to reconsider the previous options for buildings' rationalisation and development. Specifically, the Group asked for a report to this meeting of the Committee setting out in clear and simple terms:

· the case for remaining on the current Leigh Road site because of its strategically and operationally valuable location;

· the long-term development plan for the site;

· a re-examination of the case for proceeding with either of the two (previously considered) options for Headquarters and Training Centre buildings development/refurbishment; and,

· the impact on the capital programme of proceeding with the scheme.

2

The strategic importance of the Headquarters site

2.1

The site (at Leigh Road, Eastleigh) is immediately adjacent to Junction 13 of the M3 Motorway giving ready access to the major motorway intersection with the M27. Alternative quick and easy access to the motorway network is also available via Junction 12 on the M3, and Junction 5 on the M27. The excellent location and likely speed of response to identified risks within Hampshire and the surrounding region featured strongly in the ODPM's assessment of the suitability of the HQ site as a base for the deployment of the specialist vehicles for dealing with `New Dimension' incidents.

2.2

The site area is 4.826 hectares (11.92 acres) and has scope for significant expansion to satisfy both the Authority's own long-term needs and those emerging from the ODPM as outcomes of the New Dimension agenda. In real-estate terms, it is a valuable site and is recognised as being strategically important in the Eastleigh Local Plan. There may well be potential to dispose of part of the site when known future needs have been determined.

2.3

Given the excellent operational location, the level of investment already on the site (especially in terms of practical training facilities and the control room facility), the high cost of relocating these assets, and the scope and flexibility to accommodate future development needs, there is a strong case to remain on the site for the foreseeable future.

3

Long-term development plan

3.1

It would be difficult to describe in detail all the potential development scenarios for the site in this short report. The Asset Management Group has been made aware of complexities involved.

3.2

Quite apart from the ODPM's current interest, it makes sense to retain sufficient land to accommodate vehicle workshops (currently located on another valuable site at Junction 9 of the M3) if it was considered in the Authority's best financial interests to dispose of that site or otherwise utilise it improve fire cover in the Winchester area in the longer-term.

3.3

Key to the long-term development of the site is the need to position any new buildings/facilities such that they will not compromise or prejudice future expansion or the potential disposal of any parcel(s) of land on the site. It is anticipated that most of the future building needs can be satisfied by relatively simple building structures (industrial-unit-type construction) which can be easily extended as and when needs arise.

4

Reconsideration of scheme to improve the Training Centre facilities and Headquarters accommodation

4.1

The Committee is already aware from previous reports of the immediate need to rationalise and improve the use of the existing buildings on the site. It is considered that modifications to the outline plans for a new stores/vehicle garaging building would be able to satisfy the ODPM's needs. The injection of additional funding from the ODPM would, it is suggested, provide the catalyst for the Authority to proceed with a development scheme based on the options previously considered but rejected owing to insufficient capital funding/borrowing powers. The scope and implications of including the scheme within the Capital Programme is set out in Section 5 (below).

4.2

Members will recall that two outline schemes were previously considered. A copy of the original report to HFRA Finance and General Purposes Committee on 30 October 2002, describing these options, is also available on Hantsweb.

Option 1 included the construction of a new industrial-type unit to provide accommodation for stores and vehicle garaging and a small extension to the existing Training Centre building at an estimated cost of £1.870m. Option 2 involved minor extensions and internal modifications to the existing buildings at an estimated cost of £1.008m.

4.3

In order to satisfy the ODPM's essential needs to accommodate the specialist vehicles - and associated equipment - a new building would be required on the site. Members are therefore asked to authorise the officers - in conjunction with representatives of the ODPM - to produce an updated feasibility scheme with estimated costs for a building development scheme based largely on `Option 1'.

5

Impact on the Capital Programme

5.1

The potential programme set out in paragraph 5.2 below takes into account:

· the latest information on Basic Credit Approvals available to the Authority;

· anticipated capital receipts;

· the need to provide for a second fire station in Basingstoke in the capital programme from 2005/06; and

· the need to provide for the replacement of the existing Cosham Fire Station from 2006/2007.

5.2

Anticipated resources profile

£'000s

Anticipated payments profile

£'000s

2003/2004

Resources brought forward

1,389

Basic Credit Approval (BCA)

1,401

Capital receipts

405

3,195

723

2004/2005

Resources brought forward

2,472

Basic Credit Approval (BCA)

1,401

3,873

851

2005/2006

Resources brought forward

3,022

Basic Credit Approval (BCA)

1,401

4,423

2,100

2006/2007

Resources brought forward

2,323

Basic Credit Approval (BCA)

1,401

Capital receipts

550

4,274

2,300

2007/2008

Resources brought forward

1,974

Basic Credit Approval (BCA)

1,401

Capital receipts

550

3,925

1,689

2008/2009

Resources brought forward

2,236

Basic Credit Approval (BCA)

1,401

3,637

469

5.3

This financial profile of a potential capital programme, based on the assumptions in paragraph 5.1, shows that a development scheme at Headquarters - to an estimated total value of £1.6m - can confidently be accommodated. However, these assumptions do not take account of the additional capital funding likely to be made available by the ODPM. It is anticipated that a capital sum (and/or SCA) in the range £0.3m to £0.5m would be allocated to fund the accommodation of the specialist vehicles. On this basis, the Committee is asked to approve recommendations for a further feasibility scheme to be produced recognising that current maximum resources likely to be available to support it would be in the order of £2.1m.

6

European Convention on Human Rights and the Human Rights Act 1998

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 and considered in the light of the Race Relations (amendment) Act 2000.

Recommendations

1

That the Committee authorises the Chief Fire Officer to produce an updated feasibility scheme for the rationalisation and improvement of buildings at the Headquarters site which will include vehicle and equipment accommodation for specialist vehicles allocated to the Authority by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for dealing with `New Dimension' incidents.

2

That approval be given for the professional fees associated with the production of an updated feasibility scheme and eventual project appraisal, be met from the capital programme at a cost not exceeding £25,000.

Section 100D - Local Government Act 1972 - background papers

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.

None

NB The list excludes:

1 Published works

2 Documents that disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act

Appendix `A' - HFRA Finance and General Purposes Committee 30 10 2002 - HFRS Training Centre/HQ - Accommodation Rationalisation

Secretarial/WP/Word/Corporate/HFRA FGP 23 April 03 HQ DH/JMW/10/4/03