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Minister for Home Affairs
19-21 Broad Street | St Helier Jersey | JE2 3RR
Connétable Mike Jackson
Chairman
Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Panel By Email
25 October 2021
Dear Chair
Government Plan 2022 – Written Questions Prison Improvement Works – Phase 7
- The Mid -Year Review notes this project is on track. We understand that Phase 7 is due to commence on completion of Phase 8, could you please confirm whether that remains the intention?
Phase 7 of the current masterplan to redevelop La Moye Prison will provide a new multi-purpose building that will provide fit for purpose Education, Training, Care & Separation (Segregation Unit) and Healthcare facilities. Progress is dependent on the completion of earlier phases, and the availability of money in the Government Plan. At the moment, this phase of the work is in the long- term capital plan for 2026, but it may be possible to bring this forward in a future Government Plan process.
- A target date of December 2023 has been provided for this work, when do you anticipate this phase of the work to commence, and do you anticipate the target date to be achievable?
As noted above, progress is dependent on the completion of earlier phases and the dates and durations are subject to funding, planning permission and procurement etc. Owing to the pandemic the completion of phase 6 (which relates to the new Gate House currently under construction) has been delayed by around 3 months.
Prison Improvement Works – Phase 8
- The Mid -Year Review notes this project is on track. The funding allocation for 2021 was £666,000, please could provide the spend to date, including the breakdown of specific spend allocations?
Phase 8 of the current masterplan will provide a new Out Placement Unit, on the Prison Estate but out of the main secure fence, for Prisoners nearing the end of the sentence, and hard landscaping relating to the new Gate House. The proposed new Out Placement Unit will be situated (partly) in the current Prison car park and this cannot be vacated until the new Gate House is complete.
£505,000 of the current allocation (for hard landscaping) will be undertaken as part of the current Phase 6 (Gate House) project and this sum has been committed within that contract. The balance will be required to progress the detailed feasibility study ahead of a planning application for the Out Placement Unit.
The budget sits with JHA as the Sponsoring Department and will be transferred to IHE (JPH) as the Supplying Department.
- Has the funding allocation for 2021 been sufficient in meeting the project's aims to date?
There has been little spend to date in terms of procurement, however, as noted above £505,000 of the current £666,000 allocation has been committed to the current Gate House project where the hard landscaping works will be undertaken. A Procurement Strategy is presently being drafted to progress the feasibility study for phase 8.
- We understand that the procurement of a design team was due to commence in Q3 of 2021, could you update us in this regard please and provide any further detail?
As above, this process is just commencing with the drafting of the Procurement Strategy to allow feasibility study and subsequent planning application to progress.
Phase 8 has been delayed slightly. This is primarily because the current phase 6 project has been
held up owing to the pandemic and there has been a natural knock-on effect on (a) progressing the design of phase 8 and (b) when the works can physically start on site.
- The Government Plan 2022 notes a funding request of £1,609,000 for 2022, please could you provide a breakdown of what this is intended to cover, including the breakdown of specific allocations?
The estimated construction cost (in March 2019) is £1.4M. It was envisaged, at the time of the spend profile was determined, that most of the construction will occur in 2021. The balance relates to fees and contingencies.
- Do you feel this level of funding is sufficient to meet the project's aims?
The general size of the building was determined as part of the Masterplan Review undertaken in March 2019, however, the current spike in construction activity and inflationary cost rises from 2019 is likely to require additional funding because of inflation.
- Can you outline a timeline in respect of work priorities for the remaining aims?
The current Gate House project is scheduled to complete by the end of May 2022. Allowing for migration and decommission etc. the target demolition of the old Gate House will commence early September 2022.
- How will you ascertain the objectives are carried forward in the next Government term, considering the potential change in membership?
As noted above, the redevelopment of the Prison is being undertaken in phases as part of an agreed Masterplan. This is a significant long-term piece of work, which is essential to upgrading our Prison Estate. I would hope and expect my successor to be fully supportive of continuing with this phased approach.
- What consideration, if any, has been given to the resourcing (staff and materials) required to deliver on these actions and do you anticipate any challenges in that regard?
Project Management is being undertaken by Jersey Property Holdings. The Design Team and the Main Contractor will be appointed in accordance with an agreed Procurement Strategy.
- Considering that Phase 7 works will follow the completion of Phase 8,do you anticipate the target date of December 2022 for Phase 8 to be achievable in order for Phase 7 to commence promptly?
The pandemic has had an impact on the delivery of Phase 6 (new Gate House) which has had a knock-on effect on Phase 8. Assuming Phase 8 commences in September 2022 (as noted in point 8 above) then it will complete by Q1 2024. Phase 7 will start once funding is available in the Government Plan, but no later than 2026.
- Do you foresee any challenges in achieving the completion target date and, if so, what are those challenges and how might they impact upon the allocated funding?
The general size of the building was determined as part of the Masterplan Review undertaken in March 2019, however, the current spike in construction activity and inflationary cost rises from 2019 is likely to warrant additional inflation funding.
Dewberry House SARC (JHA – SoJP)
- We note from the 2021 Government Plan that this project was partially deferred, however, the Mid-Year Review notes that the project is now on track with the site selection and pre-feasibility report nearing completion. Please could you provide the total spendas well as the breakdown of specific spend allocations to date?
The spend to date (£40,295.00) relates to the completion of the pre-feasibility study / site selection process. The feasibility study will follow once the preferred site is approved by the Corporate Asset Management Board and Regeneration Steering Group, which is expected to be by the end of 2021.
- Has the funding of £1,800,000 for 2021 been sufficient to meet the project's stated aims to date?
The pre-feasibility study / site selection process has now concluded, and a preferred site has been identified. Progress is now dependent on approval of the preferred site choice by the Corporate Asset Management Board and Regeneration Steering Group.
- A completion target date of July 2023 has been provided in the Mid -Year Review; do you anticipate the target date to be met?
Due to the delays in progressing this project this year, it is unlikely it will be delivered within that timeframe. It is now anticipated that the project will be delivered at the end of 2023.
- The Government Plan 2022 notes a funding request of £882,000 for 2022, please could you provide a breakdown of what this is intended to cover, including the breakdown ofany specific allocations?
The original profile of the project in the Government Plan 2020 was 1,000,000/1,550,000 in 2020/2021.
This was reprofiled in the Government Plan for 2021 to 250,000/1800,000/500,000 in 2020/2021/2022.
It has been further reprofiled again in the 2022 Plan to 1800,000/882,000/591,000/317,000 in 2021/2022/2023/2024.
This includes the costs for the feasibility study, design work, project management and construction of the new building.
- Please can you explain the reason for the increase to £882,000 from the £500,000 which was forecast in the 2021 Government plan?
The cost has increased in the 2022 Plan to ensure space for Victims First (VF) thereby allowing us to maximise synergy between the work of SARC, the Child's House, JDAS and VF and realise economies of scale with having these services all co-located in the new building.
Following consultation with CYPES, the increased space will also allow services to support the recently released Children and Young Peoples Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health Strategy and provide services from the new building to those who have suffered all types of trauma and abuse.
- Do you consider that the revised amount for 2022 of £882,000 is sufficient to meet the project's aims?
The next step is to undertake a formal feasibility study from which a preferred design and resulting cost will be determined. An indicative size of the required facility has been determined as part of the pre-feasibility / site selection process, so save for inflation funding and any site-specific costs the proposed budget should be sufficient.
- Can you outline a timeline in respect ofworkpriorities for the remaining aims?
It is hoped that the preferred site will be endorsed by the Corporate Asset Management Board and Regeneration Steering Group by the end of the year, which will allow a formal feasibility study and planning application to follow. The programme will then be updated.
- How will you ascertain the objectives are carried forward in the next Government term, considering the potential change in membership?
As noted above, the proposed location and indicative size of the proposed new SARC has been determined as part of a pre-feasibility / site selection process progress which resulted in a formal document being produced. That accompanied the funding Business Case. If approved by the Assembly, the 2022 Plan secures funding for this project through the life of the Plan.
- What consideration, if any, has been given to the resourcing (staff and materials) required to deliver on these actions and do you anticipate any challenges in that regard?
Project Management is being undertaken by JPH. The Design Team and the Main Contractor will be appointed in accordance with an agreed Procurement Strategy.
I trust that the above will assist the Panel with its review. If you require any further information, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Yours sincerely
Deputy Gregory Guida Minister for Home Affairs