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| Police force to sell £11m headquarters it has never used | Police force to sell £11m headquarters it has never used |
| (4 months later) | |
| A police force which spent more than £11m on a headquarters it has never used has announced it will sell the site, which has been empty for five years. | A police force which spent more than £11m on a headquarters it has never used has announced it will sell the site, which has been empty for five years. |
| Hampshire constabulary will put Alpha Park up for sale because it cannot afford to develop it and is unlikely to recoup the money it paid. The building in Eastleigh was bought in 2008 at the height of the property boom for £9.6m and the force has since spent £1.836m on upkeep, security, business rates and other costs. | Hampshire constabulary will put Alpha Park up for sale because it cannot afford to develop it and is unlikely to recoup the money it paid. The building in Eastleigh was bought in 2008 at the height of the property boom for £9.6m and the force has since spent £1.836m on upkeep, security, business rates and other costs. |
| In 2010, the chief constable Alex Marshall, who is now head of the College of Policing but was not in charge when the building was bought, was warned that the force could not afford the bill to refurbish the site, which could have topped £40m. | In 2010, the chief constable Alex Marshall, who is now head of the College of Policing but was not in charge when the building was bought, was warned that the force could not afford the bill to refurbish the site, which could have topped £40m. |
| The issue was called "expensive and embarrassing" by the local police federation last year, but the force said the purchase of Alpha Park had had the green light from the Audit Commission. | The issue was called "expensive and embarrassing" by the local police federation last year, but the force said the purchase of Alpha Park had had the green light from the Audit Commission. |
| Hampshire constabulary also announced it would sell its current headquarters in Winchester and move into a smaller building in the city which it has bought for £1.5m as it grapples with government funding cuts of 20% over four years until 2015. That move is expected to land it with a cash windfall as the former HQ is ripe for development. | Hampshire constabulary also announced it would sell its current headquarters in Winchester and move into a smaller building in the city which it has bought for £1.5m as it grapples with government funding cuts of 20% over four years until 2015. That move is expected to land it with a cash windfall as the former HQ is ripe for development. |
| The force is also trying to save £4m of taxpayers' money a year by sharing central services such as finance and procurement with Hampshire county council and Hampshire fire and rescue service. This year it put its share of council tax up 3.4%. | The force is also trying to save £4m of taxpayers' money a year by sharing central services such as finance and procurement with Hampshire county council and Hampshire fire and rescue service. This year it put its share of council tax up 3.4%. |
| The situation has been inherited by the police and crime commissioner Simon Hayes, who said: "Today is about a new direction and building the right foundations for the future. | The situation has been inherited by the police and crime commissioner Simon Hayes, who said: "Today is about a new direction and building the right foundations for the future. |
| "That means getting rid of back-office buildings that we don't need and investing in new facilities and partnerships that will help us to make Hampshire and the Isle of Wight safer places. | "That means getting rid of back-office buildings that we don't need and investing in new facilities and partnerships that will help us to make Hampshire and the Isle of Wight safer places. |
| "We will announce more when we have greater clarity on public finances and as the chief constable develops his operational plans but we now have certainty on the big decisions that will allow us to get rid of unnecessary buildings that cost the public money." | "We will announce more when we have greater clarity on public finances and as the chief constable develops his operational plans but we now have certainty on the big decisions that will allow us to get rid of unnecessary buildings that cost the public money." |
| The force also announced it would build two new police investigation centres in Basingstoke and Portsmouth to provide short-term custodial care and support quicker processing of detainees. | The force also announced it would build two new police investigation centres in Basingstoke and Portsmouth to provide short-term custodial care and support quicker processing of detainees. |
| The chief constable, Andy Marsh, said: "Having the right buildings is key to a more effective and efficient police force – one that puts victims, witnesses and the community at the heart of policing. | The chief constable, Andy Marsh, said: "Having the right buildings is key to a more effective and efficient police force – one that puts victims, witnesses and the community at the heart of policing. |
| "This will help to meet the needs of police officers and staff for generations to come, reducing long-term costs and enabling us to build on the success that we have had in reducing crime in recent years." | "This will help to meet the needs of police officers and staff for generations to come, reducing long-term costs and enabling us to build on the success that we have had in reducing crime in recent years." |
| Crime in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight fell by 15% in 2012-13 compared with 2011-12. | Crime in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight fell by 15% in 2012-13 compared with 2011-12. |
| • This article was amended on 22 May 2013 to make clear that Alex Marshall was not chief constable of Hampshire police when the building was bought. | • This article was amended on 22 May 2013 to make clear that Alex Marshall was not chief constable of Hampshire police when the building was bought. |
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