A review of Police buildings across the region is being carried out to see which ones are fit for purpose as 40% of them are at least 40 years old. The Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) has presented a plan to review the 153 police-owned buildings across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. Of those, 46 are under freehold, and 87 are under leasehold. The estates accommodate 3,292 officers and 2,378 staff, totalling 5,670 people. Some buildings offer space to other partners. At the same time, the force occupied 50 partner buildings within the region. The PCC report presented at a recent Police and Crime Panel showed that 40% of the buildings are at least 40 years old, making them unsafe, tired, and unfit for purpose. Island Echo reported back in February that Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary is continuing to ‘look for opportunities in and around Newport’ when it comes to the future of the county town’s Police station, but have ruled out a joint station with the fire service. PCC Donna Jones said that she and her office inherited ‘very aged’ and ‘not well looked after’ buildings and she aims to bring buildings to standard and quality sites. She said:
“We’re working through a whole review. This year, I’ve created a maintenance budget that has not been done previously. I inherited a very aged and not very well-looked-after state. “We’ve got a significant piece of work to do now to bring the quality and standard of existing buildings up to scratch, to offload those that we don’t think can be brought up to scratch, and then to onboard new sites where we have geographical gaps. We need to replace buildings, whether because they are just not large enough or because they are in too bad of a state. “We also need to create more swing space in the force because we can’t refurb and do what we need to do to all these police stations while the staff is working there. So, teams can relocate somewhere for six weeks or six months, depending on how long it takes.
However, mainland-based councillor David Podger said that the report could have been ‘more detailed’ and could have incorporated the ‘property portfolio’. Cllr Podger said:
“We could have a better idea of the investment, and I think we would welcome that because it’s a considerable investment. The asset-based itself could be given a little bit more transparency without compromising the sensitive commercial nature, perhaps.”
The plan will focus on improving buildings where policing will benefit the most. These will be ‘flexible, modern buildings’ that allow the office to reduce its carbon footprint, introduce more electric vehicle charge points, and be more economical. Report by Natalia Forero, Local Democracy Reporter
And guess who will be paying for it ….
This is the problem when Women are in charge, they fuss over trivial things like changing the colour of the curtains and soft furnishings, or painting a wall a different colour, but ignore the larger issues of growing crime, too many newcomers filling our prisons so we can’t jail our own low life for meaningful terms.
BECAUSE the crime issue is too big to solve, they can ONLY then concentrate on makings trivial things better.
Sack it, and get a decent man in charge and a true Brit to, and dump the ‘tick sheet’ in the shedder.
Morbidly Obese Women who are a Drain on the NHS and Have Periods, should not be allowed to do this kind of work… Women in the workplace doesn’t work!!
Here we go less and less police stations on the island. This useless woman needs to go. Relocate, let me guess, the mainland. Absolute crap service, especially with the bloody council tax precept going up. A joke, but not at all funny.
That’s what happens when you employ a person who
never was a Police Officer.
“40% of the buildings are at least 40 years old, making them unsafe, tired, and unfit for purpose.”
With the heavy investment in County Hall and a spanking new, shiny car park, why don’t the Police relocate across the road?
Many people work successfully in office spaces with buildings older than 40 years. I wouldn’t have a problem if it meant we would see an improvement in policing, but we won’t.
‘flexible, modern buildings’ that allow the office to reduce its carbon footprint, introduce more electric vehicle charge points, and be more economical.” Really?
The answer is to remove the role of the PCC and their support staff and empower the Chief to do what they are paid to do. Then, employ proper coppers.
Any organisation that is run by the Government
is unaccountable and it is us tax payers who
kop the bill, hence Council Tax increases etc.
Spot on. Here’s a thought. How about spending a little less time in those buildings and go patrol a few streets in the big world outside?
Swing space, on board new!!!! What gobbledygook…
Tired and unsafe !!, Lack of maintenance perhaps.
‘Unsafe, tired and unfit for purpose’
Is she describing our police ?
Maybe she was looking in the mirror
And in a few months, we’ll here the real reason, cuts and more cuts. Best by a base ball bat, the only was we’ll get justice.
This woman is a joke
POLICE ARE ‘UNSAFE, TIRED AND UNFIT FOR PURPOSE’
Has the useless fat bint never heard of maintenance?
Scrap all PCC’s and spend the money directly on the Constabulary. There, Donna, sorted it for you.