Tuesday, 25 November 2014

Knowle relocation project: volte face: the District Council will not be moving to Skypark: "Development at Knowle and changes to destination to be considered by cabinet"

The District Council's cabinet is due to discuss the relocation project next Wednesday 3rd December
new.eastdevon.gov.uk/media/526937/031214-cabinet-agenda-public-version.pdf

 ... although, as the EDA blog notes, other important aspects of policy 
Futures Forum: Knowle relocation project: and the longer-term demise of district councils... part ten: "Exeter, East Devon and Teignbridge councils to form Greater Exeter"

 ... will not be covered:

CABINET AGENDA – INCLUDING COSTS INFORMATION ON KNOWLE REFURBISHMENT

November 25th, 2014

http://new.eastdevon.gov.uk/media/526937/031214-cabinet-agenda-public-version.pdf

One highlight:
ED Leisure Management Ltd has requested additional funding of £400,000 to support its capital investment in Exmouth Leisure Centre, including the provision of indoor climbing,increased gym and studio facilities.

BUT NOT A WORD ABOUT NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN EAST DEVON, EXETER AND TEIGNBRIDGE ON A JOINT WORKING AGREEMENT BEING SIGNED.

Cabinet agenda – including costs information on Knowle refurbishment | East Devon Alliance

 The 'decision' to relocate from Knowle to Skypark was made earlier in the year:

Moving and Improving

Office move takes another step forward

Further research into the viability of the council's office relocation to SkyPark was given the go ahead by full council last night (26 February).

Council officers will now enter a further evaluation and negotiation phase with the preferred option of SkyPark. A report outlining whether the council should commit funding to the new headquarters is expected to be presented to cabinet and full council in July.

East Devon District Council - Moving and Improving
East Devon district councillors back office relocation to SkyPark near Exeter | Exeter Express and Echo
Futures Forum: Knowle relocation project: moving to Skypark................. further comment

 It has just been announced that this decision has been reversed...

 Here is the full press release from the District Council from earlier today:


Development at Knowle and changes to destination to be considered by cabinet
25 November 2014

Changes to preferred location of new council offices

Significant changes to the preferred location of new council offices in East Devon will be discussed at cabinet next week (Wednesday, 3 December).

Cabinet will hear the latest developments since it was last reported in
February and how changing market conditions mean that SkyPark is no longer the preferred option.

Whilst SkyPark has been the leading contender as the relocation site, the council was very clear that no decision was going to be made on the final location until all the facts and figures were known with other key pieces in what is a complex jigsaw slotting in to place.

Instead, recommendations to cabinet are to retain the council-owned Heathpark site in Honiton and potentially combine East Devon Business Centre with a new headquarters. This will allow existing tenants of the business centre to remain.

In addition, it is recommended that the council use the existing office
space at Exmouth Town Hall, recently vacated by Devon County Council. This would allow for a smaller building in Honiton and existing tenants at Exmouth Town Hall to remain.

Interest

Marketing of Heathpark began last year and the highest value commercial interest came from a supermarket operator. The offer price negotiated at that time was attractive as part of the funding package to relocate to SkyPark but the supermarket reduced its offer in line with a new business sector model. The reduced offer makes a sale of the site no longer attractive.

In response to marketing of Knowle and Manstone, a mix of proposals were received, which contained variations on residential, retirement and/or care and extra care communities whilst retaining the public park. All proposals were based on the removal of existing buildings at Knowle (whilst keeping or re-provisioning the bat roost). A range of matters still need to be explored before selecting a preferred bidder but once selected, it will be for the developer to enter into discussions with the planning authority to explore proposals.

Among the bids are proposals to develop Knowle only. It could well be that a preferred developer is selected that leaves Manstone to continue operating as a depot for the time being. The depot functions currently provided at Knowle Depot would be transferred across to Manstone.

New build at Honiton and refurbishment of Exmouth Town Hall will be funded by capital receipts and prudent borrowing. Over a 20 year period the spend will at least pay for itself with savings accruing after then. This would allow the council to remove itself from a costly, uncertain and increasingly impractical future at Knowle.

Essential repair works to existing buildings would cost £1.5 million and there is no funding allocation to cover this cost. Refurbishment of all existing buildings would cost up to £15.9m. Knowle has high annual energy costs of £83,900 per year compared to a predicted energy cost for Honiton/Exmouth combined of £33,700 per year.

Operationally, a twin site approach accommodating around 250 officers will be supported by mobile working. The council aims to expand its digital offering and has an ongoing project to improve existing online transactions and develop a further online service for customers who would like to do their business online.

Demand

Sites in two of East Devon's major towns provide an ideal opportunity for the council to respond to the demand for various services. It is clear there is a need to increase service provision for housing benefits, Council Tax, housing advice and register and debt advice in both Exmouth and Honiton and there would be significant demand led presences in Sidmouth and Axminster.

The council would provide surgeries in other towns as they do in Cranbrook, Seaton, Ottery St Mary and would experiment with frequency and range of services depending on demand.

In the longer term, the council needs to consider the shape of local government. A combined Honiton and Exmouth office base offers a more flexible approach to our accommodation requirements involving new and modernised offices in two locations. In a world of increasing co-operation between local authorities, a smaller headquarters and an accessible presence around the district offers a better proposition for our customers.

If a successor organisation or other local government arrangement inherited Knowle from the council it is unlikely that such care would be shown toward its future use as shown by the East Devon District Council.

Cabinet’s decision next week will then be considered by full council on Wednesday, 17 December.




Save our Sidmouth campaigner at the headquarters of East Devon District Council.

EAST Devon District Council has announced its U-turn decision to relocate to Honiton and Exmouth instead of SkyPark on the outskirts of Exeter.

A spokesperson for the council confirmed that the final decision to relocate to SkyPark was only going to be made once all the pieces of the “complex jigsaw” were known, and “market conditions” mean that SkyPark is no longer the preferred option.

Instead, the recommendation due to go before the cabinet on Wednesday, December 3, is for the council to retain its Heathpark site in Honiton, formerlly earmarked for a supermarket, and to use existing space at Exmouth Town Hall.

A council spokesperson confirmed that essential repair works to existing buildings at its current offices at Knowle, Sidmouth, would cost £1.5m, and refurbishment of all existing buildings would cost up to £15.9m.

Knowle has high annual energy costs of £83,900 per year compared to a predicted energy cost for Honiton/Exmouth combined of £33,700 per year.

On the back of various surveys and assessments, deputy chief executive Richard Cohen previously said the council would save tens of thousands of pounds a year if its offices moved from the aging premises at Knowle into a newer building.

But campaign groups branded the process as “flawed” and do not believe the move will be ascost effective as the council claims. They also say it could have an adverse economic impact on Sidmouth.

Critics also questioned the logic of relocating to the west end of the district and the viability for residents.

Marketing of Heathpark began last year and the highest value commercial interest came from a supermarket operator, which has now reduced its offer meaning the deal is no longer viable.

The Heathpark option would mean that existing tenants at the council-owned East Devon Business Centre could remain.

The spokesperson confirmed that a new build at Honiton and a refurbishment of Exmouth Town Hall will be funded by capital receipts and prudent borrowing.

Over a 20 year period the spend will “at least” pay for itself. Savings accrued from then on would allow the council to “remove itself from a costly, uncertain and increasingly impractical” future at Knowle.

The spokesperson, added: “Sites in two of East Devon’s major towns provide an ideal opportunity for the council to respond to the demand for various services. It is clear there is a need to increase service provision for housing benefits, Council Tax, housing advice and register and debt advice in both Exmouth and Honiton and there would be significant demand led presences in Sidmouth and Axminster. The council would provide surgeries in other towns as they do in Cranbrook, Seaton, Ottery St Mary, and would experiment with frequency and range of services depending on demand.

“In the longer term, the council needs to consider the shape of local government. A combined Honiton and Exmouth office base offers a more flexible approach to our accommodation requirements involving new and modernised offices in two locations.

“In a world of increasing co-operation between local authorities, a smaller headquarters and an accessible presence around the district offers a better proposition for our customers. If a successor organisation or other local government arrangement inherited Knowle from the council it is unlikely that such care would be shown toward its future use as shown by the East Devon District Council.”

East Devon District Council cabinet set to discuss u-turn on controversial office relocation | Exeter Express and Echo


EDDC drops HQ move to Skypark. We’re going back to Honiton now, it says

Tuesday, 25 November 2014 0 Comments by Claire

I am not sure that anyone in East Devon will have have been familiar with a more atrociously managed project, than EDDC’s office relocation.

Here are 10 reasons why I think that this project is possibly the worst managed public sector project in the country.

1. The council made a formal decision to move before it investigated how much it would cost
2. It didn’t bother to consult the public, save one or two events in Sidmouth and one “stakeholder event” last year
3. It has made almost every decision behind closed doors
4. It has spent tens of thousands of pounds, maybe more, on keeping information secret, that the Information Commissioner rules must be public
5. It cannot, or will not, tell councillors or residents how much a new build will cost
6. It plans to build brand new offices at a time of significant financial austerity, when services are being cut
7. It spends almost a million pounds on thinking about building new offices
8. It has spent an indeterminate (probably very large) amount of public money negotiating to buy land at Skypark since February.
9. First it says it will move to Honiton because it is central, then it says it will move to Skypark, cos… it can give no good reason .... now it says it will move to Honiton again
10. The conservative leadership repeatedly attacks independent councillors (mainly me) for criticising and questioning the plans.



It is a total and utter unparalleled shambles. It is indefensible, an appalling waste of public funds and an exercise in supreme arrogance.

The conservative leadership should pay a very high price for this - preferably, with their seats at the next election.

Here’s the cabinet report - http://new.eastdevon.gov.uk/media/526937/031214-cabinet-agenda-public-version.pdf - see page 37

EDDC drops HQ move to Skypark. We’re going back to Honiton now, it says - Claire Wright.
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