The North West Fire & Rescue Services PFI Project
Information Sheet
Introduction
Working in collaboration, the Fire and Rescue Services of Merseyside, Lancashire
and Cumbria have created a Private Finance Initiative (PFI) Project to construct 16 new Community
Fire Stations in the North West of England. The Project is progressing through the PFI process and has now gained approval from each of the three Authorities,
the Department of Communities and Local Government (CLG) and H.M. Treasury’s Project Review Group to announce Balfour Beatty Fire and Rescue as the Selected Bidder that will design, build finance and operate all 16 stations.
Background
This Project will provide new community-orientated facilities and in a
number of cases, will
deliver improved response times by replacing aging, inappropriate and/or poorly located
facilities.
Scope
The Project scope includes the design, construction, funding and facilities management
for sixteen community fire stations including an Operational Resource Centre (ORC
- garaging
centre for strategic appliances and equipment) and a joint fire &
ambulance station The facilities to be provided range
in size from single appliance fire stations to multi-appliance stations with additional
garaging for special equipment. Some of the sites include training facilities and
additional office space.
The fire stations are to be constructed on a mixture of new and existing sites,
in some cases involving demolition and phased working around operational units or
other emergency service facilities.
At other sites, complete decant arrangements will be required during the building
phase.
Financial Value
The capital value of the scheme is currently estimated to be £47m (2010 value) with
additional
lifecycle
and associated service costs, including facilities management.
.
Project Objectives
The main objectives of this project are:
• To improve fire station design and location in relation to current and future risk
response
• To widen community access to fire stations
• To create well designed facilities to a high architectural standard
• To provide a safe and healthy environment and improved facilities for firefighters
and other personnel
Locations
The proposed Community Fire Stations are located as follows:
• Cumbria: Carlisle East, Carlisle West, Patterdale, Penrith (including Emergency
Planning Unit and County Council Emergency Control) & Workington
• Lancashire: Blackburn, Burnley, Chorley & Fleetwood (with
Optimum Crewing System accommodation)
• Merseyside: Belle Vale, Birkenhead, Bootle/Netherton, Formby, Kirkdale (including ORC), Newton-le-Willows & Southport (shared facilities with
the Ambulance Service)
The sites range from rural locations with retained crews to busy inner-city locations
with full-time crews. One site is within the Lake District National Park. There
is a large geographical spread with sites from Carlisle in the north to Birkenhead
in the south of the region.
Project Management Team
An Executive Board has been established with representation from each Fire and Rescue
Authority at Principal Officer level.
The Project Manager (nominated from within Merseyside F&RA) reports to the Executive
Board on progress and matters where Board approval is required. Each Authority in
turn then has a lead officer responsible for co-ordination of their input
to the Project. Along with both external
and internal legal, financial and technical advisors, these personnel make up the Project Team.
Outline Business Case
The Outline Business Case (OBC) for the Project received approval from CLG in
August 2008. A copy of the OBC can be obtained by clicking on this link. [PDF format]
Procurement Process and Provisional Timetable
A formal notice in the Official Journal
of the European Union (OJEU) was issued
in August 2008. Following this the Project followed the Competitive Dialogue process in line with
other PFI projects to determine the Selected Bidder. After evaluation
of bids, Balfour Beatty Fire & Rescue were recommended as Selected Bidder and
this decision was approved by the three Authorities, CLG and HM Treasury in March
2010. Detailed planning applications are due to be submitted in April/May 2010 with
Financial Close anticipated for October 2010. Work on site in due to commence in
November 2010, reaching final completion in March 2013.
Payment Mechanism
In accordance with the principles of PFI, services will be procured through an Output
Specification describing the room sizes, functions and required facilities. Balfour
Beatty Fire & Rescue will be paid on a monthly basis from the acceptance of the facility as
ready for use until the end of the term of agreement (25 years from handover of
the last fire station to be completed). Balfour Beatty Workplace will
operate the Facilities Management of the stations.
Contact Details
For further information please contact the Project Manager, Colin Schofield at Merseyside
Fire & Rescue Service Headquarters, Bridle Road, Bootle, Merseyside L30 4YD
Email: colinschofield@merseyfire.gov.uk (Project Manager)
Telephone: 0151 296 4203
Email: lorraineclarke@merseyfire.gov.uk (Project Co-ordinator)
Telephone: 0151 296 4231
Balfour Beatty Commercial Enquiries contact: Keith France (Cost Planning, Mansell)
Email: kfrance@mansell.plc.uk
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