Fire Service Regional Control Centre at Fareham – how much is it costing taxpayers?

The answer is revealed in a recent House of Commons – Written Answer, of 4th November 2009.

Ongoing monthly costs are £163,000 (including rent, utilities and facilities management)

Since the 15 May 2008 the control has cost £2,356,788

The Government’s FiRecontrol Project is 5 years behind schedule and massively over budget, with continual slippage of the project.

The Fire Service South East Regional Control was due to open in the Autumn of 2007 and is currently due to open in the February of 2011.

Nationally £45.3 million has currently (to the end of February 2009) been spent on consultants for the project since it’s inception in 2004 (source: http://www.fbu.org.uk/newspress/pressrelease/2009/07_15.php).

The full written answer is shown below.

Baker – Fire Services (Fareham)

Wed, 4 November 2009 | House of Commons – Written Answer

Summary

The following question was answered on 04 November 2009.

Contents

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much public money has been spent on the proposed Fire Service Regional Control Centre at Fareham; how much is being spent on a monthly basis in maintaining the facility; and what the monetary value is of contractual obligations entered into in respect of the building. [296401]

Mr. Malik: Since practical completion on 15 May 2008, expenditure on Fareham Regional Control Centre has been £2,356,788. The current monthly cost of the facility including rent, utilities and facilities management is approximately £163,000. The contractual cost for the lease over the full 25 year lease term is £43,337,023 including uplifts for inflation. The contractual cost for the facilities management over the full seven year contract term is £2,635,876.