North East Integration Presented by Assistant Chief Constable John Hawkins Recommendation to Members for Discussion Appendix Attached No
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OFFICIAL Agenda Item 2b Meeting Authority Meeting Date 27 November 2019 Location Council Chambers, Aberdeen Title of Paper North East Integration Presented By Assistant Chief Constable John Hawkins Recommendation to Members For Discussion Appendix Attached No PURPOSE The purpose of this report is to provide Members of Scottish Police Authority with a high level update on the North East Division Integration Project, and proposals for a more efficient way to deliver local policing in the North East of Scotland. The project is an early illustration of the ambition and collaborative nature of the Police Scotland Estates Strategy. Members are invited to discuss the content of this paper. Authority Meeting North East Integration 27 November 2019 1 OFFICIAL OFFICIAL 1. BACKGROUND 1.1 At the Authority Meeting on 22nd May 2019, the Scottish Police Authority approved the Police Scotland Estates Strategy. The document sets out an ambitious strategy to develop a sustainable, modern and demand-led property estate that enables excellence of service to communities. 1.2 The strategy details our intention to increase community bases for local officers, staff and volunteers and to identify more opportunities to co-locate, collaborate and integrate with our key partners. 1.3 In order to remain relevant, legitimate and effective in a changing Scotland, it is widely recognised that policing must do the same. We also must recognise and respond to the emergence of many new, diverse and at times virtual communities and a wider and rapid change in demand for policing services. 1.4 Our estate is a key component of our infrastructure and will help us transition to a modernised, demand-led and collaborative service. 1.5 Changes to our estate in Aberdeenshire, through the exciting Buchan House Project being delivered in partnership with Aberdeenshire Council in Peterhead, along with other possibilities developing in both Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, will ensure we have a greater visible presence in our communities. This will encourage people and partners to share their knowledge, experience and concerns to a much greater degree than current arrangements allow. 1.6 The North East Division Integration Project was established to provide a model for the future Divisional Estate and illustrates the ambition of our new Estate Strategy. It will set out how we intend to transform our estate across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire and achieve our long-term vision for local policing, delivering quicker and better outcomes for our communities. It will equally improve the well-being and welfare of our officers, staff and volunteers. 1.7 The proposals build on existing solid foundations between Police Scotland, Aberdeen City Council, Aberdeenshire Council and other public service providers across the North East. As outlined within the Aberdeen City Centre Masterplan, the proposals also assist in delivering key components for local regeneration within Aberdeen and will support greater innovation, infrastructure, enterprise and Authority Meeting North East Integration 27 November 2019 2 OFFICIAL OFFICIAL effective service delivery for local communities and members of the public. 1.8 This will bring organisations into closer alignment and be a vehicle for greater inclusion, earlier intervention and stronger prevention of issues through increase engagement and collaboration between service providers. 1.9 There may be future opportunities within Moray to deliver similar changes to integrate services and improve outcomes in that area. This is currently out with the scope of the current project but is being closely monitored and may be considered in future proposals. 1.10 The Project is being delivered as part of the Local Policing Programme and will be informative across Scotland in relation to the development of the public estate. 1.11 Good progress has been maintained since the submission of the Strategic Outline Business Case to The SPA Resources Committee on 30th April 2019. An Initial Business Case was approved by the Police Scotland Portfolio Management Group on 2nd September 2019, and by Change Board on the 3rd September 2019. 1.12 The Initial Business Case was also presented to members of the SPA Resources Committee on 10th September 2019. 2. FURTHER DETAIL ON THE REPORT TOPIC 2.1 The Initial Business Case sets out our preferred option for Service Integration. It presents an outline of the options, preferred direction of travel along with very early indicative costs, benefits and timescales. 2.2 The Initial Business Case details how we intend to grow the opportunities for greater co-location, collaboration and integration already intended for Buchan House in Peterhead and transform policing across Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire. This pioneers an approach that ensures stronger integration and alignment with our public service and voluntary sector partners. It provides a platform to reduce costs, mitigate property risks and drive forward a new local policing model. 2.3 While negotiations continue to agree the basis upon which we can deliver the proposed changes, this could involve relocating all local and national resources from the North East Division Headquarters at Queen Street, Aberdeen and disposing of the ageing, under-utilised, inefficient and ineffective building. The aim is to move resources to Authority Meeting North East Integration 27 November 2019 3 OFFICIAL OFFICIAL nearby accommodation within Aberdeen City Council Headquarters in Marischal College and within Aberdeenshire Council Headquarters in Woodhill House, Aberdeen. 2.4 The plan will also realign resources in our remaining Aberdeen estate to create a Target Operating Model of operational and back office hubs. 2.5 This seeks to move our staff and existing partners into modern, fit for purpose office space. It will allow us to rationalise the estate and maintain visibility of and access to key front line and support services. It will also deliver annual savings and reduces our carbon footprint. 2.6 The Project is overseen by Assistant Chief Constable John Hawkins as Senior Responsible Officer (SRO) and is currently undertaking the necessary preparatory work and due diligence required to prepare and present a Full Business Case. This work is heavily dependent upon a number of internal and external factors, and includes representatives and resources from across a range of Police Scotland functions working together including Local Policing, Finance, ICT, Estates, Legal, Procurement, Information Security, People & Development, Corporate Communications and Business Continuity. 2.7 The Project is structured and subject to appropriate rigour in accordance with approved good project governance set out within the Police Scotland Portfolio Management Office guidance document “Project Guidance on the Portfolio Project Planning Approach”. 2.8 The various approvals through Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority governance means the Initial Business Case has successfully passed ‘Case for Change – IBC - Gate 2’. (See Figure 1). Go Live Strategic Fit – Investment Gate 5 Decisions – FBC PPA Project Closure Gate 1 & PMP Gate 3 Gate 7 Gate 8 Start Up Initiation Planning Delivery Closure Gate 2 Case for Solution Transition to Change - IBC Development BAU Gate 2 Gate 4 Gate 6 Figure 1 Authority Meeting North East Integration 27 November 2019 4 OFFICIAL OFFICIAL 2.9 The project now has the mandate to progress through to ‘Investment Decisions – FBC & PMP – Gate 3’ with the development of a Full Business Case based on the preferred option and the associated Project Management Plan to support delivery of the proposal. 2.10 An initial gap analysis of the work stream products has been carried out on the development required from the Initial Business Case to the Full Business Case. 2.11 Discussions continue with work stream leads to identify all ‘Activities’ and ‘Products’ that are required to support the completion of the Full Business Case and supporting products. This liaison and planning activity includes engagement at the appropriate level with partner organisations and will continue throughout the project lifecycle. 2.12 While the work and timeline is dependent upon a number of external factors which fall out with the control of the project and Police Scotland, it is anticipated the Full Business Case will be completed in early 2020. It will then be considered within the internal Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority governance processes. 2.13 This could allow for transition to commence around Spring 2021. 2.14 In the interim, members of the project team continue to engage and work closely with partners to prepare new and different ways of policing across the North East, managing changing demand as we take advantage of significant opportunities and developments in estate and technology. This will enable greater mobility for our officers, staff and volunteers. We aim to forge new partnership arrangements and far more extensive collaboration and integration with other agencies through increased co-location. 2.15 Enhancing innovative service delivery, shared facilities and working in multi-agency teams is integral to our proposed model. 2.16 This model of policing will allow us to ‘design out’ community issues quicker by integrating our services with key partners across the North East. We will be able to utilise a full range of cross-agency intervention opportunities to overcome and address community issues earlier, more effectively and efficiently. 2.17 This will provide opportunities for multi-agency