Decision details

GMP entered a sub lease of Unit A Central Park for a short term until December 2024 (Fujitsu break clause). At this point Fujitsu would be determining whether to continue with or surrender the lease. They have now decided to continue with their lease. GMP occupy part of the building. The ground floor houses PSD staff along with a hearing suite and associated break out areas and office space on the 1st floor. Prior to moving to the building, PSD occupied valuable space within the CoM and some other locations. Hearings were held wherever PSD could find appropriate space (sometimes at significant cost and certainly inefficiently). This led to a backlog.

The Crime Futures team use the remaining part of the 1st floor. This was subject to a full business case which identified the building as an ideal location situated close to management and supervision in HQ.

Additional space on the ground floor is also required to house Information Management who are required to move out of Astley Bridge to make space for the Major Incident Team. Information Management also have around 90 staff working from home (due to lack of space within the workplace). The hybrid working pattern that this accommodation provides, post COVID, will enable better working practices, increased productivity through better collaboration and improve the delivery of a critical policing function relating to the management of criminal records administration.

GMCA work with GMP Business Support Services to agree terms for the renewal of the lease of Unit A Fujitsu Central Park, with additional space added on the ground floor for Information Management.

To address the accommodation issues facing displaced teams at FHQ, City of Manchester DHQ and Sedgley Park, a variety of building options were considered within both the GMP and GMCA estates (including the GMCA building on Oxford Road, discounted due to the high cost of the accommodation relative to Central Park and the lack of clarity as to when it could be available), however there were none available that offered a suitable solution.