Home Affairs Department Report for Minister |
Subject: | Transfer of the Prison Redevelopment Phase 2 to Jersey Property Holdings |
Exempt Clause: | n/a | Date: | 2 March 2010 |
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Author: | Finance Director |
Introduction
The purpose of this report is to seek the Minister’s approval to transfer the budget and expenditure for Phase 2 of the Prison redevelopment from the Home Affairs Department to Jersey Property Holdings (JPH).
Background
In February 2007 the management, administration, budgets and expenditure for the following capital projects were transferred from the Home Affairs Department to JPH:
· Prison Feasibility Stage 2
· Prison Cell Block Reconstruction (Phase 3)
· Police Relocation (Planning)
· Police Relocation (Phase 1)
It was also agreed that all future property related projects for the Home Affairs Department should be administered and managed by JPH, subject to the close involvement of the Heads of Service as members of any project groups.
At that time the Department retained the budget for Phase 2 of the Prison redevelopment as it was an ongoing capital project. However, now that the Phase has been completed it is proposed that the budget and associated expenditure be transferred to JPH as it forms part of the Prison Masterplan which is being managed by JPH.
Budget and Expenditure
The budget for Phase 2 of the Prison redevelopment was £6,902,848 compared to a final cost of £7,166,553.
The reason for the increased costs on the capital project is the net effect of the additional cost of providing ‘safer’ cell windows (£351,693) and savings made on the project (£87,988).
‘Safer’ Cell Windows
Following the reports by the Prison and Probation Ombudsman of England and Wales into the two deaths in custody that occurred in 2006 and early 2007, it was identified that the Prison lacked adequate ‘safer’ cell provision. The aim of ‘safer’ cells is to minimise the number of ligature points available within a cell. A ‘safer’ cell window virtually eliminates ligature points from the windows. As H and J wings were not fitted with such windows due to cost constraints at the time of construction, it was proposed that all windows in H, J wings and E wings should be changed to the ‘safer’ type as the accommodation would remain in use after the completion of Phase 2.
As it was not possible to borrow capital funds from future years capital programmes, in order to provide the funding required to install ‘safer’ cell windows the Minister agreed a temporary budget transfer (MD-HA-2007-0085) to be replenished from future Prison capital budgets. The Minister for Treasury and Resources approved the temporary transfer on 28 December 2007 (MD-TR-2007-0140).
Prison Masterplan
The Prison Masterplan sets out the redevelopment of the Prison in phases with each phase incorporating enabling, demolition and new build elements as required to complete each phase of the works. As the phases, and budgets are linked it is appropriate that the Phase 2 project should be transferred to JPH to order to allow for the budgets to be consolidated under a single capital Head of Expenditure.
The difference of £263,705 between the budget and actual sum transferred will be met from the predicted underspend in Phase 3, the budget for which is held by JPH.
Recommendation
It is recommended that the Minister:
(i) agrees the budget transfer of £6,902,848 and expenditure of £7,166,553.14 to JPH in respect of the Phase 2 of the Prison redevelopment;
(ii) seeks the approval of the Minister for Treasury and Resources in accordance with Financial Direction 3.6 – Variations to Heads of Expenditure.