AGENDA ITEM 6 – UPDATE ON ST ALBANS FIRE STATION

Report of the Director of People and Property

Hertfordshire Property response to Review of Recommendations Topic Group Progress Report.

Background

To update Members of the Scrutiny Topic Group on the progress made against the recommendations of the St Albans Fire Station Topic Group held on 16 September 2008 and subsequently on 16 December 2008.

Progress

Continued dialogue with stakeholders has been maintained throughout the period to discuss and resolve a number of the key issues identified in the report submitted at the Scrutiny Meeting on 16 September. All issues have resolutions identified to rectify these mattersand a number of items have been resolved. A number of outstanding items involve contract issues and these are being discussed pending further actions.

Fire and Rescue (F&R), MACE, and Mouchel have continued to jointly develop solutions meeting the service users needs. F&R are imbedded in the resolution process and are actively involved in providing feedback resulting in improvements into the designs of new properties and operational maintenance regimes

The Station Commander has continued to be involved in agreeing what remedial works are undertaken, when , by whom and , where operational requirement’s allow, is present during keyactivities.He also receives copies of all reports.

Information has been distributed and regularly updated to all parties to ensure they aware of issues that occur and when items have been completed providing the most current situation available.

REVIEW OF RECOMMENDATIONS TOPIC GROUP PROGRESS REPORT
NAME OF TOPIC GROUP: Design of New Fire Station at St Albans
Recommendations:
e.g. To undertake a customer survey in the Autumn of 2008 / Progress:
e.g. Survey completed September 2008 / Outcomes/Further Action:
e.g. (i) 85% Satisfaction rate
(ii) Taking forward suggestion to increase opening hours
2.1 To ensure that a system is in place that means all the positive aspects of the build are borne in mind in the design and build of any new County buildings and that any lessons learned are also applied in a similar way. / Gateway 5 has had feedback and lessons learnt items incorporated within it as a standard operating procedure. This has improved the existing Gateway process.
.
Monthly capital progress meetings with Mace includereview of issue’s arising from occupation during the first year of operation are recorded and rectified promptly.
Monitoring of the processes associated with the construction of Watford F.S. is occurring. / A standard specification for Fire Station’s is in developmentwhich includes experience from recent and current construction projects in it’s production.
All variations to original scope are recorded during the project.
Monthly maintenance review meetingsare held with MACE/Mouchel/Herts Propertyresulting in improvedproject handovers .Changes to items are now occurring at an early stage to improve reliability, accessibility for maintenance or longevity.
2.2 To provide an effective rectification service for defects in new buildings from the perspective of the service occupying the premises. The key indicator should be the experience of the occupant(s) over the first 12 months following the handing over of the building. At the end of 12 months there should be no outstanding defect. / The revised hand-over process includes a system for identifying potential defects and rapid rectification during first 12 months which are recorded.
Representative from Herts Property and the service department attend handovers to formalise and record these occurrences.
Herts Property will intervene in instances where an unresolved defect, that could compromise service delivery, is in awaiting rectification.
Introduction of a post occupancy user survey to be completed at the end of the 12 month defect period is being developed. Feedback will be included
Into subsequent design. / Review and report as part of the annual property audit review on the frequency and impact of defects.
Recorded faults are to be compared with national figures and other HCC projects for trend analysis on performance of assets and installation standards.
Trendanalyses of date willoccur when sufficient volume and age has been acquired.
2.3 To develop a much faster property services partnership approach to putting right building defects in workmanship and design usually discovered when new buildings are occupied for the first time. The aim is to rectify problems first and sort out responsibility afterwards. / A rapid rectification process for minor faults, with a value of £5000, is being utilised and being evaluated to monitor effectiveness.
See also 2.2 above. / Negotiated changes to current supply contracts to incentives prompt actions on notification of a defect are in progress.
This is been utilised and has shown to be effective.
2.4 – 4.4.Shower Room Plumbing - Leakage from shower pipe work and poor drainage from showers. / Improvements to the drainage system are in progress in the Fire Station and Shower Room is included in these works to improve drainage from showers.
See also Blocked Drains / Works in progress, scheduled for completion at the end of March 09
Shower Room Flooring –
Confirmed plumbing leaks (see above) causing lifting of floor covering adjacent to shower / Floor repaired by Dean & Dyball September 08. / Inspection has revealed no reoccurrence of the fault.
Concrete in yard cracking –
Cracks in concrete predominantly in rear yard and especially around manhole/service openings. Speculation about the adequacy of the design and whether suitable reinforcing was present around the openings. / A further independent investigation has been undertaken and issues have been identified. Solution is installation of additional expansion joints and also resin injection of existing cracks to stop further deterioration. / Programming of the works is to be confirmed, due to works associated with removal of grey water plant.
Contractual discussionswith D&D are in progress which includes this item.
Blocked Drains –
CCTV survey of main drainage runs undertaken showing open end to drainage run, inconsistent gradients and major blockages. Users have experienced sewage smells and seepage of sewage into interior of building due to blockages. / Using the process identified in 2.3,MACE and Mouchel have developed solutions to these issues.
Cyclical maintenance is in place with Mouchel the frequency being assessed on data from inspections and helpline requests.
A second CCTV survey is in progress with a report identifying any issues due at the end of March.
Remedial works to the system are in progress including work to the main drain run, floor drains, means of access and to shower room as mentioned above. / The first cycle of maintenance will be completed mid March and CCTV report due End of March.
Remedial works are due for completion end of March 09.
Poor ventilation –
Air movement poor, especially during summer period. / MACE have identified thatthe Ventilation system is not meeting the required performance.
Installation issues have been identified as the issue. / The solution has been identified but is now the subject of contractual discussions with D&D.
As a fall back position, HCC will step in and authorise remedial works to get the system fully operational.
Window Restrictors –
Users would prefer removal of window restrictors to allow improved ventilation and air flow in summer period. / Damaged restrictors repaired. / No faults have been reported
Heating system –
Heating system does not provide sufficient heat to some areas of the building during cold weather / The replacement heating boilers have worked reliably throughout the winter period.
The heating system has not meet the design requirements necessitating the use of supplementary electric heaters to maintain space temperatures.
Inspection and minor measures to improve the heating systems performance have been undertaken, using the process outlined in 2.3. / The inadequate performance of the system has been identified as being due to standards of installation of the plastic pipework distribution system restricting flow of the heating water to the heat emitters.
The solution has been identified but is subject to contractual discussions with D&D regarding latent defects.
As a fall back position, HCC will step in and authorise remedial works to get the system fully operational.
Grey water recycling plant removal / Plant was removed with connection to main sewerage system completed January 2009. / No faults reported and will be monitored, inspected and reported on duringfirst 12 month period.
Training centre boiler replacement required. / Boiler replaced in December 2008 and it has operated reliably. / During monitoring of the boiler the performance of the heating system has been raised.
Having the same plastic pipework this is being included in the contractual discussion.
2.5 For buildings commissioned by HCC, the functionality of the internal design features needs greater consideration / Service Departments are involved in a formal process of provision of significant information on their requirements, approving briefing documents before they are issued to property partners.
Earlier involvement in projects is occurring by provision of information during monthly capital meetings and information supplied by service departments. / Adoption of Design Quality Indicators (DQI) is being reviewed with MACE to incorporate them where they are appropriate.
A Design Champion has been established following the BSF model
Production of standard specifications are in progress. See also item 2.1
2.6To introduce a system for any future tender for new builds that includes the cost for on-going annual maintenance and that the successful tenderer is made responsible for future maintenance. / This is being investigated and a trial project being selected to test the theory. / The trial project will be monitored and results analysed to quantify, objectively the results of this process. .
2.7To recommend to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee that a Topic
Group be established in 2009 to look at the relationship between the County Council, Mace and Mouchel / Action by others / I have not written any comments here.

10 090401 F & R St Albans Fire Station update 1