Accommodation at Finchley police station

Report: 18
Date: 19 July 2001
By: Commissioner

Summary

Finchley Police Station (SF), which is currently empty and requires essential building works to make it habitable could provide a base for SO7 (Flying Squad) in North West London and a front office in Finchley for the Borough of Barnet. The building would also have sufficient area to house SO1(5) Trident North pro-active team. This report seeks approval to develop a scheme to tender stage.

A. Recommendation

Members are asked to approve the development of a scheme up to tender stage for refurbishment and alteration work to the existing Finchley Police Station.

B. Supporting information

1. This paper summarises the business case and investment appraisal for the refurbishment and alteration works to Finchley Police Station. This building would provide a base for SO7 (Flying Squad) in North West London, which is currently in temporary accommodation at Finchley Garage. It would also be the front office in Finchley for the Borough of Barnet, replacing that currently housed in a portacabin at the front of the building. Spare floor area would be used to house SO1(5) Trident North pro-active team, which is currently in temporary accommodation at Leytonstone.

2. The business case was produced by the three prospective building users, namely:

• SO7(5) Flying Squad
• the Borough of Barnet
• Trident North pro-active team

Senior Management of each of the above favoured the use of the refurbished Finchley Police Station.

3. An investment appraisal considered the proposal and several options to satisfy the accommodation needs of the building users. It concluded that the best value option was for major refurbishment and alteration works to the existing Finchley Police Station.

4. Alternative options considered by the investment appraisal were:

• purchase a site close to Finchley and construct a new building
• purchase a building close to Finchley, alter and refurbish, as necessary
• lease a building close to Finchley, alter and refurbish as necessary

5. The existing Finchley Police Station was constructed in 1967, but has now reached the stage when major refurbishment works are essential. The building has a redundant custody suite, which can be remodelled to make it suitable for alternative uses. Until recently, the building was occupied by SO7(5) Flying Squad and used as a Finchley Sector Base for the Borough of Barnet, but they were moved into temporary accommodation due to the urgent need for refurbishment works.

6. A start on site could be achieved in late 2001 with a contract period of less than one year, thereby achieving an early occupation of the building.

C. Financial implications

The estimated cost for refurbishment and alteration works to the existing Finchley building is £1,860,000 (excluding professional fees at £255,000). This includes an allowance of £160,000 for Department of Information infrastructure works. Within this cost, a sum of £696,000 has been identified as routine maintenance works to be funded from the revenue budget, the balance of £1,419,000 being from the capital budget. All figures exclude VAT.

A sum of £332,000 is included in the approved capital works programme for 2001/02 with the balance of expenditure in future years. The cost would be expended mainly over the contract period of 44 weeks commencing in late 2001, with a small retention sum being expended in the following year.

D. Background papers

• Single Stage Investment Appraisal, including Users'
• Business Cases

E. Contact details

The author of this report is Trevor Lawrence Director of Property Services.

For information contact:

MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18

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