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| Hampshire Police Authority paid '£3m over value' for police HQ | |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Hampshire Police Authority paid £3m, or 40%, more than the market value for land for a new police HQ, internal communication seen by the BBC suggests. | Hampshire Police Authority paid £3m, or 40%, more than the market value for land for a new police HQ, internal communication seen by the BBC suggests. |
| The site in Alpha Park, Chandlers Ford, was bought for £9.2m in 2008, even though it was estimated to have been worth £6.6m. It has remained unused. | The site in Alpha Park, Chandlers Ford, was bought for £9.2m in 2008, even though it was estimated to have been worth £6.6m. It has remained unused. |
| Internal emails and reports show the authority bought the land against the advice of senior officers. | Internal emails and reports show the authority bought the land against the advice of senior officers. |
| The Audit Commission said HPA had not acted "recklessly" or "unreasonably". | The Audit Commission said HPA had not acted "recklessly" or "unreasonably". |
| No further action was taken. | No further action was taken. |
| Internal communication in the months leading up to the purchase show several senior officials expressed serious concerns about the deal, warning the price was 40% above market value, and that they felt it was "rushed through". | Internal communication in the months leading up to the purchase show several senior officials expressed serious concerns about the deal, warning the price was 40% above market value, and that they felt it was "rushed through". |
| 'Difficult to justify' | 'Difficult to justify' |
| Treasurer at the time, Jon Pittam, said: "I wouldn't touch this with a barge pole - it's a series of cheap industrial units depreciating rapidly." | Treasurer at the time, Jon Pittam, said: "I wouldn't touch this with a barge pole - it's a series of cheap industrial units depreciating rapidly." |
| The then chief executive, Jeff Pattison, wrote: "It is never a good time to pay 40% more than a property is valued at... this is a particularly bad time in an economic and property downturn. It would be very difficult to justify to taxpayers." | The then chief executive, Jeff Pattison, wrote: "It is never a good time to pay 40% more than a property is valued at... this is a particularly bad time in an economic and property downturn. It would be very difficult to justify to taxpayers." |
| On the evening after agreeing to the sale Jacqui Rayment, chair of the police authority, emailed a colleague: "Oh God, what have we done... I guess only time will tell." | On the evening after agreeing to the sale Jacqui Rayment, chair of the police authority, emailed a colleague: "Oh God, what have we done... I guess only time will tell." |
| The authority says plans for the new headquarters are currently on hold because of government spending cuts of 25% over four years. | The authority says plans for the new headquarters are currently on hold because of government spending cuts of 25% over four years. |
| It is reviewing all its sites and is selling buildings it no longer needs. | It is reviewing all its sites and is selling buildings it no longer needs. |
| The current plan is to use part of the eight-acre site to house the force enquiry centre, workshops, stores and archives. | The current plan is to use part of the eight-acre site to house the force enquiry centre, workshops, stores and archives. |
| But more than two-thirds of the site could be sold and the authority is still looking elsewhere for a headquarters. | But more than two-thirds of the site could be sold and the authority is still looking elsewhere for a headquarters. |
| However, authority members stand by the decision they made in 2008. | However, authority members stand by the decision they made in 2008. |
| Ms Rayment said: "We took the right decision at that point in time. I still believe that we will use Alpha Park. I don't think we've wasted public money." | Ms Rayment said: "We took the right decision at that point in time. I still believe that we will use Alpha Park. I don't think we've wasted public money." |
| The police authority is also planning to close 28 front offices and 18 whole police stations to save money. No final decisions have been made. | The police authority is also planning to close 28 front offices and 18 whole police stations to save money. No final decisions have been made. |