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Efficient Government Fund EGF)1)1)17 Fife Co Located Police Custody Units

DescriptionTo explore the possibility of providing Police Custody Unit(s) Co-located with Court facilities and with other Criminal Justice Partners.
ISBN (Web Only)
Official Print Publication DateDecember 2005
Website Publication DateDecember 08, 2005

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EFFICIENT GOVERNMENT FUND

Stage 1 application - expression of interest

Part 1: Summary Table

Bid number (for EG use)

Lead bidder

Fife Constabulary per Peter Taylor
01592 418481 peter.taylor@fife.pnn.police.uk

Brief description of the aims of the project

To explore the possibility of providing Police Custody Unit(s) Co located with Court facilities and with other Criminal Justice Partners. Additionally, the provision of enhanced levels of care for persons in custody with a reduced commitment from police officers, improving service to victims and standard of care of custodies.

Clear description of what the EGF money would be used to buy

Funding received would be dedicated to exploring the scope of the project in terms of staff time and any necessary consultancy support, mapping the processes followed by partner organisations, reengineering any relevant IT/C infrastructure, refurbishing and re-equipping existing buildings and/or providing replacement ones if required, and staff training and retraining.

Partners to the project likely to commit resources

Initial meetings and discussions have been held with the Scottish Prison Service, the Fife Procurator Fiscal Service and the Scottish Court Service.

Names of other organisations with whom the project has been discussed (to assist the introductions process)

The Scottish Prison Service do not wish to formally commit to the project but are interested in the outcome and have offered to lend expertise in terms of physical security and staffing issues surrounding levels, regimes and training. The Fife Procurator Fiscal Service is not in a position to commit to the project but retain an interest, particularly in relation to any development in the Dunfermline area. Discussion and meetings with SCRS ongoing.

Evidence that suggested approach has been deployed successfully elsewhere

Within Warwickshire, the Northern Justice Centre has recently been completed and opened in Nuneaton. The partners in this scheme include Warwickshire Police, the Crown and Magistrates' Court Service, HM Prison Service and the Criminal Justice Information Technology unit. Within the Justice Centre is a "state of the art" custody facility with 32 cells providing accommodation for adults and juveniles, including an area set aside for persons in Prison Service custody, situated on the ground floor. There are three courts situated on the first floor. Both sets of facilities are interlinked to provide secure access between them for persons in custody.

Are there any restrictions to potential for enlargement of the project ( i.e. technology, number of partners etc)

No restrictions are anticipated to the potential for enlargement of the project.

Benefits projected from the project

The Criminal Justice System and victims will benefit from improved facilities and joined up justice through the co-location of criminal justice partners. Security and care of custodies will be enhanced significantly while staffing costs in terms of uniformed officers used in the custody care process will be reduced.

Estimated financial projections

Total

2005/6

2006/7

2007/8

2008/9

Overall project cost

£12,163,075

£1,550,000

£6,300.000

£3,428,375

£884,700

Estimated projected benefits

£158,328

Nil

Nil

£42,306

£116,022

Is a pilot required - see guidance notes

No

Additionality: why is EG funding required

To contribute to the initial capital costs involved in any new or refurbished buildings associated with the project and to assist with initial costs.

Is this project complementary in anyway to other EG work

The project is complimentary to a bid from Fife Constabulary aimed at the development of a suitable model for a "place of safety" as an alternative to police cells for persons found to be drunk and incapable of looking after themselves.

A similar bid in relation to facilities for persons found to be vulnerable due to mental health issues is being investigated in conjunction with Fife Acute Hospitals NHS Trust.

Is "stage 2 development funding" requested?

Yes.

Page updated: Thursday, July 7, 2005