Hampshire County Council

Cabinet Item 12

21 July 2008

Strategic Property Review (Hampshire Workstyle)

(summary of exempt decision)

Report of the Acting Director of Property, Business and Regulatory Services

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Summary

The following decisions are sought:

Re-occupation of Ashburton Court:

That approval be given to:

(a) The re-occupation strategy for Ashburton Court (paragraph 4.2 of the report).

(b) The asset management strategy (paragraph 4.6 of the report) arising from the completion of the major refurbishment project and vacation of various Winchester offices.

Strategic Property Review (Hampshire Workstyle):

That in the context of the wider property and organisational change programme now being proposed arising from work on the Ashburton Court project and the Strategic Property Review, that approval be given to:

(c) A new strategic direction based on organisational change and business re-engineering, affording the opportunity to consolidate the County Council's office portfolio into a small number of main offices, and a network of supporting drop-in facilities.

(d) The project vision statement, (paragraph 7.2 to the report), broad project objectives, (Appendix 1 to the report) and key success factors (Appendix 2 to the report) and the programme from now on be known and referred to corporately as `Hampshire Workstyle'.

(e) The development of an implementation plan based on cultural change, flexible use of space, improved corporate networking, and underpinned by property rationalisation.

(f) The programme framework (section 8 of the report).

(g) Cabinet are asked to consider whether there is merit in creating an option to relocate a number of staff currently accommodated at the County Council headquarters to a new subsidiary base outside the city (Section 11 of the report).

(h) The appointment of suitable consultants to secure appropriate advice in relation to proposed disposals associated with dilapidations claims, and other specialist areas to support the Hampshire Workstyle disposal strategy subject to the necessary funding being identified as part of the business case.

(i) The development of a managed site promotion and potential disposal strategy for a number of those properties listed in Appendix 3 to the report to ensure inclusion in the emerging Local Development Frameworks, and that the Acting Director of Property, Business and Regulatory Services be authorised, subject to the necessary consultation and communication, to amend the list as necessary.

(j) A further report to Cabinet in the autumn.

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Reason(s)

2.1

The proposals contained in this report support the corporate priorities of enhancing our quality of place by promoting a new flexible working culture leading to more efficient use of space, better work practices and improved use of technology for the benefit of employees, partner organisations and communities of Hampshire.

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Other options considered and rejected - None.

4

Conflicts of interest declared by the decision-maker or other Executive Member consulted - None.

5

Dispensation granted by the Standards Committee - None.

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Reason(s) for the matter being dealt with if urgent - Not applicable.

Approved by:

..........................

Date:

Councillor T. K. Thornber, CBE Chairman