Issue - meetings

Report of Portfolio Holder for Energy and Sustainability

The Board considered the Portfolio Holder for Energy and Sustainability’s report detailing the proposals to create a Joint Service Centre (JSC) in the Dales ward by extending and refurbishing the existing Sneinton Police station. It will include a new modern library and will facilitate the release of existing library buildings in Sneinton and Bakersfield.

The new JSC will:

·  provide a single point of access for a wide range of Council services;

·  include free phones/police phones, meeting and interview rooms;

·  maintain the network of community libraries, providing modern library facilities with improved IT, including free WiFi and self-serve facilities;

·  secure a local Police presence in the neighbourhood;

·  facilitates the rationalisation and disposal of Council buildings that reduced the maintenance liability of the Council, and better manages the public estate;

·  provide an easy to access location which is on a main bus route, and is close to a children’s centre, youth club, health centre and main shopping district;

·  improve local employment opportunities during the construction phase.

RESOLVED to

(1)  approve the allocation of funding totalling £1.065m, as set out in the Business Case at exempt Appendix 1 of the report, for the redevelopment and extension of the existing Sneinton Police station into a JSC;

(2)  approve the procurement of the redevelopment work through the EMPA framework, as set out in the Business Case at exempt Appendix 1 of the report, and delegate authority to the Director of Sport and Culture, in consultation with the Corporate Director for Commercial and Operations, and Corporate Director for Resilience, to enter into contract to deliver the works, subject to the project being within the agreed budget figure;

(3)  approve the allocation of funding, as set out in the Business Case at exempt Appendix 1 of the report, for internal project management resource and internal design services related to the project, and note that the internal design team will also procure and manage external consultants for mechanical, electrical and lift design, due to the absence of in-house resources;

(4)  approve the allocation of funding for procurement of furniture, equipment, communications and marketing, an services in support of the project, and delegate authority to the Director of Sport and Culture, in consultation with the Corporate Director for Commercial and Operations, to sign the relevant contracts following the tender processes;

(5)  declare Sneinton Library and Bakersfield Library surplus, and approve that the residual revenue be used to fund the proposed JSC following the relocation of the library services into Sneinton Police station.

Reasons for decision

The JSC facilitates the release of the current library premises to improve customer satisfaction and value for money through the efficient and effective sharing and use of the public estate.

It will provide:

·  a simplified way for customers to access and use Council services;

·  an enhanced accessible library service, and improved customer access facilities;

·  potential longer library opening hours;

·  modern facilities, including free WiFi;

·  the convenience of having several services and agencies located in one place.

Co-location supports the Council’s Strategic Asset Management Programme and One Public Estate Initiative that includes the ambition to transform the operational property estate through investment and disinvestment in facilities.

The Council and Police share a commitment to safeguarding the presence of neighbourhood policing and community protection within the ward, and this proposal allows Community Protection Officers to continue working side by side with police officers.

Other options considered

The four options considered and analysed are contained within the Business Case at exempt Appendix 1 of the report.