Minister vows to start on emergency HQ by 2022

Wednesday 21 August 2019

Work will start on a new joint headquarters for the fire and ambulance services by 2022, the Minister for Home Affairs has pledged – vowing to see “bricks coming out of the ground” by the time his office term finishes.

But the site could be subject to a Ministerial 'tug of war', with it also being eyed up for a school extension.

The emergency services pledge came from Home Affairs Minister Constable Len Norman, who said that both services are “very excited” about the proposed move and that, depending on States Assembly approval, funding will be allocated to the project.

Speaking about the plans in a Scrutiny hearing dedicated to reviewing the integration of the Ambulance Service into the Home Affairs Department under the new 'OneGov' model, Constable Norman denied that the reorganisation of the emergency service is “muddying the waters" following a question from the panel’s Chairman, Deputy Trevor Pointon.

Pictured: The panel focused on the integration of the Ambulance Service into Home Affairs.

“One of the things we are working on, and we have just had some - I must not give away secrets - we are going to have some money voted in the capital programme, if the States agree, for a co-location of headquarters for ambulance and fire, which I think both services is very excited about," The Home Affairs Minister said.

“With us leading that, hopefully we can achieve, and I have given the Director General and the staff at Home Affairs a target to get the bricks coming out of the ground in the new headquarters before my term of office finishes in 2022.”

This comes after the switchboards for all three emergency services were brought into one ‘combined control room’ to encourage a more joined up response to ‘999’ calls.

The Minister also suggested that the relocation of both services would also allow for cost-cutting.

Pictured: The Fire Service expanded when the Police relocated to Green Street.

When asked by the Chairman about the “cost implications” of this move, the Home Affairs Minister replied: “No significant change. What we are hoping for and expecting is as time goes by, as they co-operate more together, amalgamate together, and particularly if we can get the new combined headquarters for the two services, there has to be room for some efficiencies.”

However, he stressed that this is not an area where the Government should be looking for savings: “But as far as I am concerned, it is not about saving money. It is about providing an enhanced service for the public, the sort of service that the public want, need and, quite honestly, deserve. It is the level of service that I am more concerned about than saving money.” 

£150,000 has been suggested in the Government Plan for a review of the current Fire Service site to see if it’s suitable to relocate the nearby Ambulance Station and create a combined emergency service headquarters.

The Plan does not make explicit reference to the emergency HQ proposals, only listing a 'Rouge Bouillon site review', which is due to take place next year. 

Pictured: The £150,000 site review is proposed in the Government Plan.

However, a Ministerial ‘tug of war’ over the site could ensue, as Education has also expressed an interest in the site for an extension to Rouge Bouillon primary school to cope with increased pupil numbers there.

When asked by Express, a Government spokesperson said: “Within the Government Plan, there are proposals the review the future of the Rouge Bouillon site and whether this will be redeveloped into a joint station for the Fire and Ambulance services or an extension to Rouge Bouillon School.”

Elaborating on the need for this extension, the Government said: “Rouge Bouillon School has recently returned to operation as a three-form entry school, which has increased pupil numbers and placed pressure on both internal facilities and outdoor space. 

“The future of primary school requirements in St Helier is the subject of a feasibility study, which will include consideration as to the future use of Rouge Bouillon school; the potential to relocate to a new facility, expand the existing site onto the former Police and Fire and Rescue Service site or take other mitigating action.”

Pictured: Education might also be interested in the Rouge Bouillon site to extend the primary school. 

This comes after the Police moved to a brand new headquarters at Green Street, freeing up space for the Fire Service at the Rouge Bouillon site.

The spokesperson explained that this move “has relieved some of the immediate pressure on the service’s operational needs, but the buildings are ageing, of generally poor quality and are not fit for purpose.”

A third department - Housing - may also be interested in the future of the Rouge Bouillon site.

If the emergency services are relocated in a new HQ, a government spokesperson stated that “the current Ambulance Station site could be released for alternative use, such as affordable housing.”