The continued rationalisation of its estate will play an important role in helping the Department of Home Affairs to meet its budget target for 2015-16.
Significant savings have been achieved in recent years by merging services, relocating staff and consolidating office and storage facilities. This has enabled Home Affairs to free up prime assets for redevelopment and vacate leased accommodation, generating savings for the Department and substantial capital receipts for Government.
A further reduction in operating costs is being targeted in 2015-16, with the proposed relocation of key services and employees to the former Water and Sewerage Authority building in Tromode. This will allow the Department's corporate headquarters at Homefield on Woodbourne Road in Douglas to be offered for sale.
Other headline initiatives include:
- The relocation of operational staff from Lower Douglas Police Station to Police Headquarters, opening up the Lord Street site for potential redevelopment.
- A change of use of Tromode House into a new base for Probation staff, subject to planning approval. This will release Prospect House in Douglas for commercial rent, generating an income of up to £140,000 per year.
- Parts of Tromode House, which until recently has been run as a children's home by the Department of Health and Social Care, will also be adapted as a rehabilitation and resettlement centre to support vulnerable members of the community.
- Further rationalisation of leased office and storage facilities will save £100,000 over the next three years.
- Provision of a live fire training facility will save £50,000 a year by reducing the need for firefighters to travel to the UK for training.
In addition to streamlining its property portfolio, the Department is pursuing a range of proposals aimed at securing the additional savings of £692,000 required in 2015-16. The reduction of a further 29 full-time posts, 5% of the Department's total workforce, will be implemented as part of the overall budget response.
These measures will build on the £10.6 million of savings (27.6%) achieved by Home Affairs since 2007-08.
The combined effect means that Home Affairs will continue to deliver a wide range of community-focused services – including the Isle of Man Constabulary, Fire and Rescue Service, Prison and Probation Service, Communications Division and Emergency Planning – for spending of less than £1 per person per day.
Minister Juan Watterson MHK said:
'Home Affairs has delivered almost £11 million in savings since its budget peaked in 2007-08. This is a tremendous achievement and I wish to thank staff for their hard work. The downsizing of the Department's estate has been an important part of the strategy to reduce costs and ensure we are running ourselves as efficiently as possible. Moving out of Homefield and Prospect House will continue that successful policy.'
He added:
'Home Affairs has the highest ratio of staff costs as a proportion of its budget of any Government Department, so it is inevitable that there will be an impact on jobs during the rebalancing process. We will continue to protect frontline emergency services as much as possible in the face of increased pressure on finances. Indeed, we are currently working to build up the Constabulary to its establishment figure of 211 officers.
'All areas of the Department have critically reviewed their operations in response to recent budget reductions and continue to provide high quality services. Our primary focus remains on protecting vulnerable members of society. Every decision we take in relation to budget cuts is risk-assessed to ensure we maintain our commitment to community safety and continue to provide best-value, effective services for the people of the Isle of Man.'
The Department is also continuing to identify opportunities to deliver additional revenue savings through capital investment in its infrastructure.
Development of an on-Island training facility for firefighters will reduce the cost of travel and accommodation associated with UK-based training. The new custody block at Police headquarters, scheduled for completion in March, will consolidate all Douglas detention facilities into one location. This will improve efficiency and enable the police to vacate the current Lord Street site – freeing it up for redevelopment.
Looking further ahead, the £5 million upgrade of TETRA, the communications system that plays a critical role in safeguarding local communities, is on budget and on schedule to go live in September 2015, while proposals are being drawn up to invest in new technology to modernise the Isle of Man's criminal justice system.
Minister Watterson said:
'The Department has undergone a major programme of modernisation in recent years. The changes have been well planned and structured to minimise the impact on the public wherever possible.'
He added:
'The Department is also conscious of its role in supporting Government's national priorities. By maintaining the Isle of Man's reputation as one of the safest places to live in the British Isles, we are contributing to wider efforts to grow the economy by making the Island an attractive place for new businesses and key workers.'
