Minutes

Minutes of the Estates Sub-Committee held on Monday 19 November 2001 at Romney House, Marsham Street, London, SW1.

Present:

• Nicholas Long (Chair)
• Cecile Lothian
• Rachel Whittaker

MPA staff:

• Ken Hunt (Deputy Treasurer)

MPS staff:

• Graham Douglas (Deputy Director, PSD)
• Trevor Lawrence (Director of Property Services)
• Mike Shurety (Assistant Director of MPS Personnel)
• Ken Sewell (Director of Client Liaison and Development)

5 members of the press/public and other MPA/MPS staff were present.

Part 1

12. Apologies

(Agenda item 1)

Apologies were received from Jennette Arnold, Elizabeth Howlett and Richard Barnes (Members), Alan Johnson (Head of HR and Professional Standards, MPA) and Keith Luck (Director of Resources, MPS).

13. Minutes of Estates Sub-committee: 18 September 2001

(Agenda item 2)

The minutes of the last meeting were agreed. The Chair requested that Members be sent a copy of the terms of reference as revised by the Finance, Planning and Best Value (FPBV) Committee

Resolved that

• the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 18 September 2001 be confirmed and signed as a correct record; and
• Members to be sent a copy of the Sub Committee’s terms of reference as revised by the FPBV Committee

14. Chair and Members' update

(Agenda item 3)

The Chair stated that on 23 September he had attended an Open House Day at Hammersmith; on 28 September he had seen recruit accommodation at Hendon and Mill Hill, on 31 October he had visited garages at Wandsworth and Northolt and on 16 November had visited Marylebone police station, Gilmour House and the new custody suite at Fulham. On 15 October, as part of a study on disabled access he and Jennette Arnold had visited police buildings in Orpington. Rachel Whitaker had attended the opening of the new memorial garden at Hendon.

15. Update on estates issues

(Agenda item 4)

Members received an update on a number of issues previously considered by the Estates Sub Committee. Members asked about the HQ accommodation strategy, and were informed that it was being reviewed with a view to improving utilisation of space and an appropriate level for future London accommodation following changes within the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS). 

Resolved that the update on current estates issues be noted.

16. Starter homes initiative

(Agenda item 5)

A report was received providing information on the proposed implementation of the Starter Homes Initiative. Members were informed that since the report had been written City of London police had indicated that it might not require its entire share of the funding, which could then be transferred to the MPS. The government had ruled that recipient’s households should have a combined income below £42,000. This would exclude many police officers. There were likely to be more applications from civil staff, whose applications would be prioritised in relation to their support for front line policing. It was requested that a report on these issues be presented to the Human Resources (HR) Committee in January.

It was agreed that the report going to the FPBV Committee should include some cost benefit analysis. The management fees for this initiative are payable by the MPA to the Housing Associations. The fees are based on 1.75% of the grants which will total £240,000 over three years for which there is no budget provision. There may be a small number achieved in the current financial year leaving an estimated £110,000 for funding in financial years 2002/0 and 2003/04. This is required to secure the £13.775M to aid recruitment and retention of officers. 

Resolved that 

1. a report on the issues around prioritising applications from police and civil staff be put to the HR Committee in January;
2. the Estates Sub Committee recommend to the FPBV Committee that the affordable housing initiative proceed, subject to the provision of some cost benefit analysis and subject to agreement to a growth bid for the cost of the management fees, to be funded by MPA, of £240,000 over three years.

17. Residential property management companies - report on Sandgate House Ltd. and Mead House Management Ltd

(Agenda item 6)

A report was received summarising the legal relationship between the MPA and the residential property management companies that were established to facilitate the break-up and sale of flats in residential blocks. It reviewed their future development opportunities and particularly two development proposals that concerned Mead House and Sandgate House.

Resolved that 

1. Property Services Department, in partnership with the management company and the leaseholders, be authorised to negotiate the possible disposal of part of the grounds to Sandgate House and to report the outcome back to the Sub Committee; and
2. agreement in principle be given to permit the proposed development of the roof space at Mead House, for the nominee directors to act accordingly on the basis that part of the proceeds are utilised to refurbish the common parts; and a report be brought back to the Sub Committee on the risks and uncertainties of the project.

18. Residential estate strategy

(Agenda item 7)

A report was received reviewing the residential estate strategy, and seeking endorsement of a number of actions taking due account of the current priority to recruit and retain more police officers and civilian staff and the implications of the Housing Act.

The report noted the a drawback of the Accommodation Shareline Index and ‘rent a room scheme’ was that if an officer rented accommodation to another officer, the entitlement to housing allowance was halved for each officer. It was agreed that this should be reconsidered in the reform agenda. 

It was agreed that a visit to some section houses should be arranged for Members.

Resolved that 

1. Members endorse the purpose of the Residential Strategy (“To maintain sufficient residential accommodation to offer to all new recruits who meet the criteria’ whilst maintaining an appropriate vacancy level;” and,’ “to dispose of surplus residential accommodation consistent with those requirements and in support of the capital programme”);
2. Members endorse a strategic vacancy level of 7% in the short term, a figure to be subjected to regular review;
3. Members endorse the introduction of a maximum entitlement period of three years in relation to residential quarters occupied by pre-Sheehy officers and complementing this with the re-instatement of entitlement reviews for those tenants who are not secure;
4. Members endorse the introduction of a maximum entitlement period of three years for post-Sheehy officers when the law;
5. Members endorse making MPA residential accommodation available to police officers and civil staff as a recruitment incentive (subject to further work in respect of eligibility criteria);
6. Members endorse the programme for upgrading section house accommodation over the next four to five years, at Maurice Drummond Section House, Greenwich and Norman Kendall House, East Ham;
7. Members endorse the disposal of surplus properties on the open market or in the MPA equity share scheme as means of sustaining the vacancy level; 
8. in the event that legislation exempting the MPA from the provisions of the Housing Act does not proceed, Members endorse the extension of the existing lease and partnership arrangement with Crown Housing so that in return for exclusive nomination rights vacant residential quarters be made available to recruits in accordance with allocation criteria;
9. the reform agenda programme note that the entitlement to housing allowance is halved for each officer when accommodation is shared; and
10. that a visit to some section houses be arranged for Members. 

19. Marylebone Police Station – investment appraisal

(Agenda item 8)

A report was received reviewing the options for the future use of Marylebone Divisional police station and Robert Mark section house. The recommendations in the report were agreed, although it was felt that the business case for the station was not full enough.

Resolved that 

1. the preferred option for alterations and improvements to Marylebone police station and conversion of Robert Mark section house to an operational police building be agreed; and 
2. a recommendation be made to the FPBV Committee that the project be included in the future programme of capital works for start on site in 2002/03, and in the medium term financial forecasts.

20. Land and buildings programme: 2001/02, report on the progress of capital buildings projects - second quarterly update

(Agenda item 9)

Members received a second quarterly report summarising progress and changes to the programme of capital building works. It had been reviewed and accepted by MPS Resource Allocation Committee at its meeting in October, and had subsequently been updated to reflect the financial position current at 9 November 2001. 

Resolved that 

1. the recorded changes be noted; and 
2. Members recommend to the FPBV the inclusion in the programme of projects the reprovisioning of the front office at Barnes Green and the closure and sale of Finchley Traffic Garage following the removal of its staff to Alperton, subject to receipt in due course of satisfactory business cases.

21. Environment policies and the GLA environmental committee

(Agenda item 10)

Members received a paper informing them of a meeting held 16 October 2001 by the GLA Environment Committee, the general issues raised and the responses given by the MPS based upon its existing environmental strategy. Members asked for details of partnerships combating environmental crime. The Chair felt there was a need for a Member to take a lead in this field.

Resolved that the issues raised by the GLA Environment Committee and the need to develop the future environmental strategies of the MPA in partnership with the GLA and its functional bodies be noted.

22. Dates of future meetings

(Agenda item 11)

A report was received proposing changes to the dates for future meetings of the Estates Sub-Committee in 2002, agreed at the last meeting.

Resolved that the Estates Sub Committee meet at 1.30 p.m. on the following dates in 2002: Thursday 31 January, Thursday 4 April and Thursday 30 May.

The meeting closed at 10.30 a.m.

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