What was the original estimated cost of renovating St James Centre

1240/5(1799)

QUESTION TO BE ASKED OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC SERVICES COMMITTEE ON TUESDAY 4th MARCH 2003, BY THE DEPUTY OF ST. JOHN

Question

1. W  ill the President inform membersof the originalestimated cost of renovating St.JamesCentre and whether there wasanyoverspendin this regard, and, ifso,byhowmuch?
2. In November 1994, when the States approved the leaseof the former St. James' Church, Vicarage and Gardens to the Jersey Arts Trust, certain concern was expressedby the then Connétable of St. Helier regarding the cost of ongoing maintenance works arising from the renovation ofthebuildings. Will the President confirm whetherthereis currently a water ingress problem with the windows of the St. James Centre building, and, if so, whether any remedialwork will betakenand at whatcost to the States, and whether there are anyother maintenance workstobe undertaken and the cost of such works, to the States, if so required.

Answer

1. T h e  former  Planning  and Environment Committee published a  report  on the  structural  works  and conversion of the former St. James Church on 8th February 2000, following the Deputy 's previous questions.  As reported in  RC. 2/2000 the  works were  undertaken  by  the  Jersey  Arts  Trust and accountability for this project rests with the FinanceandEconomicsCommittee.

T h e f ormer Planning and Environment Committee's report explained that its Director of Property Services was not appointed as project manager by the Arts Trust until the later stages of their contract when the

Trust encountered major problems, with instructions to complete the contract  containing additional costs.

A f te r completion in November 2000, this project was subject to a Treasury audit report in which the cost

was stated at £1.49 million. This amount exceeded the amount voted of £1 million but was consistent with the original estimated cost of £1.5 million. The project cost has since been finalised at a total of £1.53 million.

T h e majority of the additional cost (£307,000) incurred  was attributable to the rectification of dry rot

discovered within the roof structure during the course of the contract, details of which were published in RC. 2/2000.

2. T h ere is a known problem of dampnessto the window reveals of the former St. James Church the symptomsofwhich suggest the underlying causemay either betheresultofpenetrating dampness or condensation. TheDepartmentof Property Services is currently investigating the problem and the costof remedial workis not yet known.

A p la nned maintenance survey was produced in 2000 estimating maintenance costs at St James of £98,000

p.a. over a ten year period including works which would normally be the tenant's responsibility of £38,000 p.a. The former Planning and Environment Committee, in requesting funds for this work, advised the Finance and Economics Committee that the Jersey Arts Trust have not been prepared to approve a draft lease for St. James which provides for tenants liability.

A s im  ilar situation applies to the Opera House, where an annual cost of £77,500, including tenants items

of £40,000 needs to be provided for which the Jersey Arts Trust will not accept responsibility.

S im  il arly the Jersey Archive Centre which requires annual maintenance of £30,000 per annum, including

£20,000 of tenants items where the Jersey Heritage Trust have declined to accept the draft lease for the same reason.

In t h e interim, the Committee is in a very unsatisfactory position having been allocated a capital vote of

only £75,000 in 2003 to cover the maintenance of all States properties which are in use by these two Trusts.