Central Estates Programme – Cobalt Square

This paper seeks approval for the retention and refurbishment of Cobalt Square to accommodate the Organised Crime function of the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS). This will in turn enable enhanced benefits of greater co-occupation by partners of Empress State Building (ESB). The estimated investment is £50m over a six year period and Cobalt Square will be retained until at least 2036/37. The detailed financial implications are set out in the restricted part 2 paper.

The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime is recommended to:

1. Approve the refurbishment of Cobalt Square in accordance with the costs and specifications outlined in Part 2 of this Change Request

2. Note that approval to enter into a license agreement with HMT was provided in February 2020.

3. Agree to delegate authority to the Commercial Director to approve contracts through standard commercial frameworks, or other MOPAC approved routes to market as appropriate to the range of projects

4. Note that the existing Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) will need to be updated to reflect the income generated through the leasing of the 15 shared floors (11 full floors).

1. Introduction and background

1.1. The Central Estate Programme is a project designed to rationalise and improve the “to be” retained estate mainly in relation to central functions, decision PCD 335 refers.

1.2. Initial investment has taken place to undertake early design, survey and exploratory works – see PCDs 553 and 680.

1.3. Following the Spending Review announcement of Government funding partners are enabled to confirm the licencing and co-occupation arrangements which in turn brings forward the requirement for the retention of and investment in Cobalt Square.

2. Issues for consideration

2.1. MOPAC approved the Agreement for Licence [PCD698] which subject to the meeting of conditions, including the approval of Government funding, approved the licence for occupation.

2.2. The MPS confirms that Cobalt Square offers the only economically and operationally advantageous option as a hub for Organised Crime to enable greater co-occupation by partners at ESB. The MPS Management Board has agreed that the changes requested will further improve operational effectiveness with respect to the response to Counter Terrorism and will not impact Organised Crime capability.

3. Financial Comments

3.1. The estimated cost of refurbishing Cobalt Square including optimism bias is £50m. This sum has been provided for in the draft capital programme submitted for approval as part of the 2021/22 budget submission.

3.2. The retention of Cobalt Square will defer the originally planned disposal of this site until at least 2036/37. The deferral of this receipt has also been included in the funding of the draft capital programme submitted for approval as part of the 2021/22 budget submission.

3.3. The detailed financial implications of the retention and refurbishment of Cobalt Square are set out in the restricted part 2 paper.

4. Legal Comments

4.1. In carrying out its functions, the MOPAC may, under paragraph 7, Schedule 3 of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 “do anything which is calculated to facilitate, or is conducive or incidental to, the exercise of the functions of the Office”.

4.2. Under the MOPAC Scheme of Consent and Delegation 4.8 the DMPC must approve “Business cases for revenue or capital expenditure of £500,000 and above”.

 

5. Commercial Issues

5.1. The refurbishment will require the acquisition of professional construction services, construction works and ICT services.

5.2. The MPS assure that a combination of MOPAC approved and third party procured professional services, ICT and construction work frameworks will be utilised as the compliant ‘route to market’.

6. GDPR and Data Privacy

6.1. MOPAC will adhere to the Data Protection Act (DPA) 2018 and ensure that any organisations who are commissioned to do work with or on behalf of MOPAC are fully compliant with the policy and understand their GDPR responsibilities.

6.2. The MPS assure that the Information Assurance and Information Rights units within MPS will be consulted at all stages to ensure the project meets its compliance requirements, and that the project in question does not use identifiable data of members of the public so there are no GDPR issues to be considered.

7. Equality Comments

7.1. MOPAC is required to comply with the public sector equality duty set out in section 149(1) of the Equality Act 2010. This requires MOPAC to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations by reference to people with protected characteristics. The protected characteristics are: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.

7.2. The MPS assure that there are no equality implications arising from this decision.

8. Background/supporting papers

• Appendix 1 MPS Paper Central Estates Programme – Cobalt Square Refurbishment