Avon and Somerset Police Authority and Constabulary have been granted permission by the Home Office and HM Treasury to appoint Blue Light Partnership consortium as their PFI partner.
Led by Bilfinger Berger Project Investments and comprising Miller Construction and Cofely, the consortium will design, build, finance and operate a new operational base, two custody and crime investigation centres, two police stations and a tri-force firearms training centre. An allocation of over £129million of PFI credits will be made by HM Treasury in order to deliver this ambitious programme.
The new Somerset operations base will be located at Express Park, Bridgwater and two custody and crime investigation centres will be built at 90 Gloucester Road, Patchway, and Ashmead Road, Keynsham. This increased capacity to hold criminals will support Avon and Somerset Police’s drive to protect local communities by improving the detection of crimes and bringing more offenders to justice. The new facilities will provide comfortable and discrete units for victims and witnesses of crime and a flexible, modern, sustainable working environment for our staff.
The tri-force firearms training centre will be located at Black Rock Quarry, Portishead, near to Police Headquarters. This will serve the police forces of Avon and Somerset, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire and enable officers to be trained to the same standard and promote greater coordination and deployment across the three forces.
Avon and Somerset Police Authority Deputy Chair Cllr Claire Gordon said: “This is a good news story for Avon and Somerset. It has been a long journey, and I am delighted that in approving the business case, the Home Office and Treasury have recognised the strength of these proposals and the value for money they will deliver. This project has met many tests for being affordable and cost effective for taxpayers and will provide many jobs for the local area.
“This much needed investment will deliver an important part of the Constabulary’s programme to re-organise our workforce so they are where the public need them. It will provide flexible, responsive and sustainable buildings that will leave a lasting legacy for the delivery of police services in Avon and Somerset.”
Chief Constable Colin Port said: “We are wholly committed to making the communities of Avon and Somerset feel and be safe by improving our performance and providing the best service we can, in spite of the financial challenges we are facing.
“Thanks to the PFI, our custody capacity will increase by 27% once the three new custody and crime investigation centres are completed, and their bespoke facilities will allow us to process offenders more swiftly and get officers back on to the streets as quickly as possible.
“As a police service and a major employer it is even more important at times such as these to channel investment and employment opportunities back into the local economy. Blue Light Partnership will build on our work with young people and offenders and place a high level of orders for service and sub contracts within our Force area“.
Jitesh Patel, Project Director at Bilfinger said, “This is a long-term partnership with the Authority and Constabulary, and a significant investment for the local area. We have designed highly sustainable buildings that are efficient and flexible to respond to future needs. Our local supply chain is keen to continue to engage with and provide opportunity for local business and employment.”
Planning Applications for each of the four proposed developments will be submitted over the coming weeks. Financial close (at which point the contract is signed) will take place in August 2012. Construction will commence in September 2012, with the first building completed in January 2014 and the last in March 2014. The Blue Light Partnership will then be responsible for delivering facilities management services (including cleaning, maintenance and energy management) once the buildings are completed.
