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Joint fire/police PFI scheme in Dorset |
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This article details the progress made by Dorset in the implementation of a joint PFI scheme in the county
CONTRACTS WERE SIGNED ON JULY 10
2007 for the implementation of the Dorset Emergency Services Partnership Initiative (DESPI). This exciting project will see brand new fire and police facilities built at sites in Poole and Dorchester. The initiative is being supported by the government under the Private Finance Initiative scheme, with PFF Consortium being chosen as the preferred bidder.
The current Fire and Rescue Service headquarters next to County Hall and the existing fire station in Dorchester will both be replaced by new facilities at Poundbury. The new headquarters and fire station have been designed to be in keeping with the traditional design concepts encouraged by the Duchy of Cornwall at Poundbury.
Quicker Access
A new fire station in Poole will be built at Marshes End, adjacent to the Holes Bay roundabout, to replace the current fire station in Wimborne Road, Poole. This location will provide quicker access to the A35, Creekmoor and Canford Heath areas as well as outlying industrial sites. The site of the existing fire station at Wimborne Road will be used for a new, fit for purpose building that will comprise a new Poole Police Station and divisional command offices for both police and fire. DESPI does not stop when the new buildings are completed at Dorchester and Poole. The capital receipt from the sale of service headquarters will provide ‘pumppriming’ investment for a new community fire station for Weymouth. DESPI will also give Dorset the opportunity to look at emergency cover in the Weymouth and Dorchester areas as well as Poole.
Work has already started with a temporary fire station being provided in Poole on a park and ride site near to the site of the new fire station. Operational staff will transfer to the temporary fire station in October 2007 when demolition work will begin on the existing fire station. Construction of the new fire station at Marshes End has also now started. The new combined police and fire building is due to open in December 2009. Construction of the new Poundbury complex has started with a predicted opening date of October 2008.
Strong Relationship
The project is being partly funded through PFI credits from central government. Of the total £80m cost of the scheme over 25 years, the government is providing £58.4m. This has been a long and at times frustrating project. There are many lessons to be learnt, particularly relating to project management, site acquisition, elected member engagement and effective working relationships with government departments. We have however benefited from excellent professional advice from Eversheds (legal consultants) and Grant Thornton (financial consultants). However, this has been primarily a partnership project between Dorset Fire and Rescue Service and Dorset Police. Although frustrations and delays have tested the relationship at times, elected members, officers and consultants have persevered and worked tirelessly to achieve an excellent result for the people of Dorset.
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