The Department of Home Affairs will drive forward further significant changes during 2016 aimed at keeping the Island safe and helping Government to meet its budget targets.
The relocation of staff and services is set to continue over the next 12 months, enabling the Department to make substantial savings through the downsizing of its estate.
A number of new and replacement facilities will also reach fruition in the next financial year as part of a programme of capital investment focused on protecting the local community.
Minister Juan Watterson MHK said: ‘The Department was active on many fronts during 2015 and that pace of change will be maintained in the year ahead. The further relocation of functions will allow us to vacate more buildings, rented office space and storage units. This planned streamlining is helping us to reduce costs while protecting frontline emergency services. It will also generate substantial capital receipts for the Government.’
He added: ‘The Department is investing in its infrastructure to provide added resilience in terms of public safety. Despite poor weather, good progress is being achieved on the live fire training facility and the resettlement and rehabilitation centre, while work is scheduled to start later this year on a combined fire and ambulance station at Ronaldsway Industrial Estate. 2016 will be another important year for Home Affairs and it is exciting to see key elements of our long-term strategy coming together.’
The Department relocated its corporate headquarters to the former Drill Hall in Tromode towards the end of last year. Other staff and services also made the transition, with more set to follow on a phased basis over the next six months.
The lower Douglas police station will be vacated in the spring and officers transferred to Constabulary headquarters, while work is progressing with a view to the police moving out of Castletown police station and into the Civic Centre.
Part of the Tromode House resettlement and rehabilitation centre is being converted into a new administrative base for Probation staff, which will allow the Department to make savings by relocating from Prospect House in central Douglas. In addition to the combined fire and ambulance station on the Ronaldsway Industrial Estate, plans are being progressed to relocate Port Erin firefighters out of their antiquated premises to the current ambulance station at the Four Roads.’
Minister Watterson said: ‘The Department is using this period of change to introduce new ways of working. We are committed to running ourselves as efficiently as possible and providing best-value, effective services for the people of the Isle of Man. The Department has achieved £10.6million of savings (27.6%) since its budget peaked in 2007-08, while maintaining standards of excellence. I’d like to thank all the Department’s employees for their contributions towards this success.’
Chief Executive Mark Kelly supported the Minister’s view, adding: ‘As well as rationalising our estate, it is vital that the Department makes the best use of available technology in the development of our services. For this reason, we are working closely with the Cabinet Office in the roll out of Government’s Digital Strategy in the criminal justice arena.’
