Redevelopment of Wimbledon Police Station to provide the Merton Custody Centre

Report: 16
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 custody centre extension providing 30 cells on the site of Wimbledon Police Station, Merton, to support operational needs drawing funding from existing MTFP budgets.

A. Recommendations

Members are asked to:

1. Approve the proposal for the development of a custody centre extension providing 30 cells on the site of Wimbledon Police Station, Merton.
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 £ 6.64m 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 Wimbledon, Merton.

7. The location of the existing Police Station in Wimbledon is key to meeting the needs of the BOCU, and following consultation with TP Custody Directorate and the Borough Commander for Merton as supported by TPHQ is seen as a suitable location for a custody facility. If approved, the redeveloped site will provide suitable accommodation for custody and criminal justice.

8. To facilitate the re-development of Wimbledon alternative accommodation will be needed for the patrolling functions currently located on site. This ties in with the BOCU template to provide separate Custody/Patrolling/Safer Neighbourhood/Front office and office facilities. Site searches for a suitable patrol base is underway and a separate business case/project will be presented for approval in due course. The business case for the custody centre is being presented at this time, to enable much of the consultation/communication to be undertaken in tandem with the patrol base proposal.

9. The temporary relocation of custody from Wimbledon during the construction phase is being agreed with TP. The possible sharing of facilities with the adjoining PFI station in Sutton is one option.

10. The proposed redevelopment of Wimbledon to provide custody facilities is based on a clear affordable and deliverable template solution with standardised property solutions. Unlocking custody requirements in this way will ensure that the BOCU’s accommodation needs can be met.

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

Communication/consultation implications

12. 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.

13. Generic plans are being developed and will be issued to the Borough Commanders 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.

14. 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 Merton, to ensure that their particular consultation processes are followed, prior to and during the planning process.

15. 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

PFI

Private Finance Initiative

TP

Territorial Policing

TPHQ

Territorial Policing Headquarters

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 existing buildings to provide a custody centre. 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 led 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 are undeliverable in 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 shown in a note which is available for members in the members room. Capital funding has been included within the Capital Programme for 2006/07 and on, for the role out of a limited number of custody centres. It is proposed that the cost of developing Wimbledon to house the Merton custody centre is funded from this budget.

2. The proposed acquisition of accommodation to house the patrol base is subject to a separate business case and capital funds have been identified to carry out necessary works (revenue costs have been referred to in D.4 below).

3. Once the custody facility is operational, Mitcham Police Station will be surplus to requirements. The cost of a replacement front counter will be achieved by a combination of estate rationalisation and the Safer Neighbourhood programmes. Mitcham will not be closed until an alternative facility is in place. Funds realised will be recycled to provide front office facilities at Mitcham.

Revenue

4. The operational cost of the patrol base accommodation is the subject of a separate business case. Funding has been identified and is available within existing Property Services’ revenue budgets.

5. 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.

6. 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 – MPA 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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