Contents
Report 7 of the 17 July 2008 meeting of the Finance Committee, providing an update on Stage 2 of the Safer Neighbourhoods Property Programme.
Warning: This is archived material and may be out of date. The Metropolitan Police Authority has been replaced by the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (MOPC).
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Stage 2 of the Safer Neighbourhoods Property Programme - update
Report: 07 Linked to exempt item 14
Date: 17 July 2008
By: Director of Resources on behalf of the Commissioner
Summary
The Finance Committee approved award of contracts for the Stage 2 of the Safer Neighbourhoods Property Programme in December 2007. Contracts were awarded in January 2008 and work to deliver the 124 bases contained within the programme has commenced. The first six bases have started on site and works are progressing to complete the programme by December 2009. Work has also commenced to retro-fit signage to the bases constructed under Stage 1 of the programme with installation work starting on site in July 2008 and will be completed by December 2008. To facilitate the effective management of the programme, the acquisition and fitting out of each base is treated as a separate unit, subject to the normal decision-making powers delegated to the MPS.
A. Recommendations
That
Members note the content of this report on progress made on Stage 2 of the Safer Neighbourhoods Property Programme and note the use of MPS delegated powers, as set out in the Contact and Financial Regulations, for both site acquisition and fit out works required to individual units within the overall programme.
B. Supporting information
1. The second stage of the Safer Neighbourhoods (SN2) Programme consists of bases for approximately 170 Safer Neighbourhood (SN) teams in approximately 124 separate locations.
2. On 11 December 2007, the Finance Committee approved the award of three contracts for Safer Neighbourhoods Stage 2:
- Acquisition Specialist – OGC Estates Professional Services Framework – Bruton Knowles
- Employers Agent / Cost Consultant – OGC Project Management & Full Design Team Services Framework – Drivers Jonas
- Design (Architect & Engineers), Develop & Construct Contractor – SECE Major Contractors Framework – Mansell Construction
3. The governance structure required for the administration of this stage of the project has been led by TPHQ, with engagement from MPA officers, and consists of a Steering Group and a Project Board. The terms of reference for both of these committees is attached to this report in Appendix 1. It has been agreed that the Steering Group provides reports at six monthly intervals to MPA Finance Committee, via Estates Oversight Group, on progress and budgetary issues. This is the first of these regular reports. MPS Project Board reports on a monthly basis to MPS Steering Group and the most recent of these reports is attached at exempt Appendix 2.
4. Phase 2 works commenced in January 2008 with the new supply chain. One of the immediate tasks was to review the data regarding numbers and locations of bases and a prioritisation scheme to be approved by Steering Group. This has been achieved and the number of bases to be constructed has been refined to 119.
5. A detailed review of the construction budgets has been undertaken by the employers agent and approved by the Project Board, demonstrating that despite rising construction costs it is currently predicted that the programme can be completed within the existing budget (as set at 2008/09). This assessment is, however, based on the theoretical number and size of bases and will be actively monitored as the programme progresses to ensure that this is achieved. A further detailed assessment will be made in September 2008 following the procurement of subcontractors for the next package of works and a report included in the next Finance Committee update.
6. Works commenced on 28 March, with six bases now on site. Progress to date is assessed as being approximately six weeks behind the baseline programme, most of this delay being attributable to the substantial ‘learning curve’ / ‘mobilisation period’ to be addressed by the new supply chain. Action has been taken with the supply chain to ensure that this situation is resolved, with revised targets for acquisition being agreed and procurement strategies identified that will ensure a rapid progression from design to construction. There are now 28 projects in progress, and every effort is being made by the supply chain to complete the programme by the end of 2009 in line with our original target.
7. During the period between Stage 1 and 2, projects were separated into three groups, Stage 2A consisting of bases (9 No.) that had been procured under Stage 1, Stage 2B made up of bases (21 No.) that had been identified in Stage 1 although acquisition not completed and the balance in Stage 2C exempt Appendix 3. Progress has broadly followed these lines although delays have occurred to some projects and others have been advanced to replace them.
8. Retrofitting signage that was not originally included in Stage 1 of the programme has been included in the Stage 2 programmes and has now been ordered in two packages from our main contractor. Installation of simple signage to be applied to approximately 51 bases will commence in July 2008 and will be complete by the end of August 2008. Installation of complex signage packages (which includes illuminated signs, display screens and notice boards), to be applied to 97 bases will commence in September 2008 and should be complete by December 2008.
9. A detailed financial report has been included at exempt Appendix 4 detailing the commitments to date and the remaining budget.
10. Acquiring and fitting out such a large number of new policing sites in London’s dense urban fabric is not possible to plan in it’s entirety at a ‘base by base’ level in advance. It is also important, that to secure the most appropriate sites, the MPA is able to move speedily in the property market. The costs for each base in respect of acquisition and fitting-out will be subject to the normal MPS decision-making process within the separate delegated limits established by the Contract and Financial Regulations, whilst staying within the overall approved budget for the programme.
11. The anticipated environmental implications are tabulated below:
| Anticipated environmental implications | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Higher | Lower | No impact | Mitigation/ management of any higher impact | |
| Level of energy use and associated carbon dioxide emissions | x | Buildings equipped with modern efficient M&E installations and to be insulated to current building regulation standards where possible. | ||
| Level of water consumption | x | Using modern equipment and plant, together with potential re-use of ‘grey’ water. | ||
| Level of waste generation/waste requiring disposal | x | Recycling initiatives to be commenced after opening new facilities. | ||
| Level of travel and transport and associated emissions | x | No additional staff commuter parking. Locations determined by availability of public transport | ||
| Raw material use and finite resources (use of recycled materials and sustainable alternatives) | x | The scheme designs will seek to, within economic bounds, maximise the use of recycled material and sustainable resources in line with best practice / regulation. | ||
Table 1: Anticipated environmental implications
Abbreviations:
- BOCU
- Borough Operational Command Unit
- OGC
- Office of Government Commerce
- PSD
- Property Services Department
- SECE
- South East Centre of Excellence
- SN
- Safer Neighbourhood
- TP
- Territorial Police
- TPHQ
- Territorial Police Headquarters
- OJEU
- Official Journal of European Union
C. Race and equality impact
1. Property Services will promote equal opportunities, amongst diverse communities and across its supply chain and will undertake procurement in line with the MPA’s equal opportunities policies.
2. Design and related issues will take in to account both property related issues and locations (via the local BOCU (TP) established liaison and partnerships in place). Base design issues, in accord with standard Property Services Directorate (PSD) approaches to new sites, will also address requirements and achievement of best practice design in respect of accessibility and disability matters (access, signage etc.).
3. Operational matters to meet DDA service needs and local requirements are also fully assessed in terms of the TPHQ set operational model and by the local BOCU as part of the overall process.
D. Financial implications
1. A detailed analysis of the financial implications of this report is contained in exempt Appendix 4.
2. The original approved capital budget for Safer Neighbourhoods is £15m in 2008/09 and £38m in 2009/10. The current forecast for the programme is £56.2m, consisting of £24.8m in 2008/09 and £31.4m in 2009/10. The shortfall in funding of £3.2m will be met from the approved rephasing of capital budget from 2007/08 into future years.
3. The overall programme in 2008/09 will be managed to ensure that the total affordability levels are not exceeded due to this acceleration of the Safer Neighbourhoods programme.
4. An update to the budget profile for Safer Neighbourhoods will be provided as part of the overall revision to the seven year capital programme in the autumn.
F. Legal implications
There are no particular legal implications associated with this report.
G. Background papers
- Property Procurement Paper - May 2007
- Safer Neighbourhoods Property Procurement Paper - July 2007
- Safer Neighbourhoods Property Procurement Paper - September 2007
- Stage 2 of the Safer Neighbourhood Property Programme - Contract award - December 2007
H. Contact details
Report author(s): Peter Ross, Programme Delivery Director, Property Services, MPS
For more information contact:
MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18
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