Redevelopment of land to the rear of Hayes Police Station to provide the future Hillingdon Custody Centre

Report: 13
Date: 15 June 2006
By: Commissioner

Summary

The Estates Strategy report presented to the Finance Committee in February 2006, highlighted the progress that has been made by the MPS in resolving the accommodation needs relating to custody and criminal justice.

A detailed custody business case report recommending the provision of custody centres in each London Borough to meet long term custody needs was presented to Investment Board and approved in February 2006.

The need to provide further custody provision throughout the MPA estate to support MPS operations is widely accepted and funding has been included within the Capital Programme for 2006/07 and on to fund the first custody centre schemes.

This report requests authorisation to proceed with the development of a 30-cell custody centre land to the rear of Hayes Police Station drawing funding from existing MTFP budgets, to support operational needs of Hillingdon Borough (BOCU).

A. Recommendations

Members are asked to:

1. Approve the proposal to develop a 30-cell custody centre on land to the rear of Hayes police station site.
2. Approve the appropriate tendering action including the production of the OJEU notices The feasibility study anticipates an out turn cost inclusive of fees in the sum of £7.26 m inclusive of prudent contingencies.

B. Supporting information

1. The MPA and MPS Estates Strategy highlights the need to provide a ‘template’ solution to Borough (BOCU) based policing. The roll out of BOCU based asset plans is dependent on unlocking the current challenges surrounding custody facilities. Until suitable facilities are made available, much of the existing portfolio will need to be retained.

2. The quality of accommodation within the BOCU estate has been widely reported, as has the inefficiency of locationally dispersed cell provision.

3. With continuing operational pressures, the need to meet Government targets and to tackle crime effectively, property solutions are required to address operational policing needs. Custody provision and the use of custody facilities is one element of this.

4. A detailed custody ‘Business Case’ report was presented to the MPS Investment Board and approved in February 2006. This report highlighted the need to address custody provision on a short, medium and long-term basis. The need for a new model of building provision for custody and criminal justice is accepted, but a major concentration of cells is not practicable as there is a dis-economy of scale issue in terms of buildings and staffing. There is a need to achieve best value and best management of available facilities - at the same time.

5. The longer term solution which was approved was the provision of Borough Based Custody Centres of appropriate size through a combination of the continued use of current fit for purpose suites, extending suitable facilities or the provision of new builds as required. It is anticipated that there will be a total of 33 centres of 30 cells each, although the number of cells can be flexed to meet operational demands.

6. This suggested solution with “custody centres” of no more than 30 cells will keep sites deliverable and fundable whilst not growing “support space” (including support/partner space). Funding has been included in the Capital Programme for the first five sites, including the proposed 30 cell facility at Hayes, Hillingdon.

7. The location of the existing police station at Hayes is key to meeting the needs of the BOCU, and following detailed consultation with TP Custody Directorate and the Hillingdon Borough Commander as supported by TPHQ is seen as an ideal location for a future custody facility. The size of the site is such that a patrol base could also be accommodated by redeveloping the existing police station at Hayes at a later date. The development of the custody centre and patrol base are independent of each other. If approved, the site will provide suitable accommodation for the BOCU’s custody and criminal justice needs.

8. The land to the rear of Hayes police station was acquired in the 1960’s and has been used on an adhoc basis for vehicle storage since that time. The new VRES facilities negate the future need for this site to provide vehicle storage facilities. The development of the land will have minimal impact on existing operational facilities. The car park at Hayes will be reduced to provide a suitable entry/exit route to the development site/future custody facility. Any concerns raised by the BOCU in regard to access/impact on existing operations will be addressed prior to the finalisation of the development scheme.

9. Once the custody facilities are operational the existing custody facilities at Uxbridge and West Drayton will be surplus to requirements and will close; resources currently deployed at Uxbridge and West Drayton transferring to the new facilities.

10. Longer-term solutions for West Drayton police station, Ruislip and Northwood are under review as part of the BOCU Asset Plan.

11. The proposed redevelopment of the land at Hayes is based on a clear affordable and deliverable template solution with standardised property solutions. Providing custody requirements in this way will ensure that the BOCU’s future custody needs will be met.

12. The Finance Committee considered the overarching Estate’s Strategy and related financial matters on the 16 February 2006.

Communication/consultation implications

13. The need to ensure there is suitable communication between the MPS/MPA and London stakeholders in regard to the role out of the estates strategy has been widely discussed. In addition to this, and due to the nature of the functions/facilities provided in custody centres, a communications strategy is being developed to support the role out of this project.

14. Generic plans are being developed and will be issued to the Borough Commander to ensure TP and Property Services consider stakeholders who need to be contacted. Follow up meetings will be held in early June to finalise this strategy, and a verbal update will be given at the MPA Finance Committee meeting.

15. It is also essential that local community groups are consulted as part of the formal planning process the MPA/MPS will need to follow, to obtain the necessary planning consent of this particular project. Meetings have been held with the Local Planning Authority in Hillingdon, to ensure that their particular consultation processes are followed, prior to and during the planning process.

16. TP/Borough Commanders will lead on the communication process with support from Property Services. Property Services will lead on the consultation process with support from TP/Borough Commanders.

Abbreviations

BOCU

Borough Operational Command Unit

MTFP

Medium Term Financial Plan

OJEU

Official Journal of the European Union

TP

Territorial Policing

TPHQ

Territorial Policing Headquarters

VRES

Vehicle Recovery & Examination Service

C. Legal implications

1. There are not considered to be any unusual or additional matters to be brought to Members attention in regard to normal property or construction related matters.

2. Local Authority Planning consent will be required to convert/redevelop existing buildings to provide a custody centre and integral patrol base. Consultation prior to the application for planning consent will be made in liaison with TPHQ and the respective TP link Commander and Borough Commander.

3. The custody centres will be designed to specific Home Office standards. Human Rights’ issues are being lead by TP.

D. Race and equality impact

Modern improved custody facilities will offer an opportunity to meet many non-statutory standards and other concerns that cannot be addressed by upgrading existing facilities.

E. Financial implications

Capital

1. Details of the capital costs of funding the redevelopment of the site to provide suitable custody facilities are detailed in a note which is available for members in the members room Capital funding has been included within the Capital Budget for 2006/07 and on, for the role out of a limited number of custody centres. It is proposed that the cost of developing the land to the rear of Hayes to provide the Hillingdon custody centre is funded from this budget.

Revenue

2. The operational ‘property’ running costs in terms of heating, maintenance etc., and business rates of the new custody facility, will be absorbed within current budgets as the revenue costs associated with the operation of the new facilities are considered to be lower than the current aged stock. This will also help alleviate the “maintenance backlog”. It is not anticipated that revenue cash savings will arise.

3. Operational Staffing costs will be met through existing budget lines.

F. Background papers

• Update on the Estate Strategy – Building Towards the Safest City
• TPHQ – Emerald Custody – Borough Custody Centres
• Update on the Estate Strategy – Building Towards the Safest City – Finance Committee February 2006
• Update on the Estate Strategy – Building Towards the Safest City – MPA Full Authority May 2006

G. Contact details

Report author: Alan Croney, Director of Property Services, MPS

For more information contact:

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

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