PCC/D/2025/07
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The National Probation Service (NPS) has been co-locating with West Mercia Police at Worcester Police Station since 2019. Following an internal restructure, NPS have requested that the terms of their occupation are amended due to fewer staff using the space.
PROPOSAL
For the Police and Crime Commissioner to approve the surrender of the existing Lease, the termination of the accompanying sharing licence, and approve the completion of a Licence for Occupation to replace these documents.
APPROVAL OF
West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner
I hereby approve the above proposal.
PART 1 – NON-CONFIDENTIAL/EXEMPT FACTS AND FIGURES
SUPPORTING REPORT
The National Probation Service (NPS) has been co-locating with West Mercia Police at Worcester Police Station since 2019. This arrangement reduced costs to West Mercia and better utilised space in the station. Following an internal restructure, NPS have requested the terms of their occupation are amended as they have fewer staff using the accommodation.
NPS pay no rent for the space but pay a proportion (7.63%) of revenue costs under a service charge equating to approximately £35,000 pa.
Currently, the co-location arrangement consists of a Lease and an accompanying sharing Licence.
The Lease runs until the 13th of March 2029. The sharing Licence allows the NPS space to be shared with other authorised parties.
In June 2020 NPS returned to the public sector. All staff, except the Integrated Offender Management team, have been relocated to other NPS offices locally. West Mercia Police have colonised the free space and are occupying most of the leased area.
The proposal is for NPS to surrender the current lease and its accompanying sharing licence. A new licence will be put in place to allow NPS to continue occupying the site.
The licence fee will be a peppercorn, but the PCC can continue to recharge a fixed percentage of revenue costs for the reduced area (1.7%) circa £7,798 pa.
The Licence will not have a fixed term, either party can bring it to an end on 6 months’ Notice.
STRATEGIC CONSIDERATIONS
This decision supports the following element(s) of the West Mercia Safer Communities Plan:
☐ Cutting Crime
☒ Policing with the Community
☐ Supporting Victims & Survivors
☒ Maximising Resources & Value
The decision supports this/ these objective(s) through the following:
- Deliver a fit for purpose estate by reducing the environmental impact, and social sustainability, of the police estate by co-locating with other public sector bodies.
Maximises resources and value for the local community by supporting services provided by local partners and sharing resources.
BENEFITS AND THEIR REALISATION
- Allowing NPS to amend the terms of their occupation will enable both parties to continue their long-standing cross-organisational relationship and collaborative approach to assisting the criminal justice process.
Co-locating helps the PCC offset costs for maintenance of an operational asset.
AUTHOR
Name: Tess Vincent
Date: 24 February 2025
FINANCIAL AND TREASURER COMMENTS
Should the PCC approve the proposed surrender and new Licence there will be no loss of rent.
The PCC will absorb a higher proportion of the running costs, an increase of around £27,000 pa (7.63% to 1.7%), however West Mercia Police have been using the area vacated by NPS for some time, so this change regularises the position on the ground.
There is no negative impact to the budget. There was no expectation of occupation by the NPS when the budget was set. Therefore, no projection of income being received for occupying space at Worcester DHQ was included in the rental income for 2025/26.
Treasurer
Date 28/04/25
LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS
By virtue of schedule 11, paragraph 14 of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 the Police and Crime Commissioner may do anything which is calculated to facilitate, or is conducive or incidental to, the exercise of the functions of commissioner. That includes entering into contracts and other agreements (whether legally binding or not) and acquiring and disposing of property (including land).
PUBLIC ACCESS TO INFORMATION
Information in this form is subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOI Act) and other legislation. Part 1 of this form will be made available on the West Mercia Commissioner’s website. Any facts and advice that should not be made automatically available on request are not included in Part 1 but instead in a separate Part 2 report.
OFFICER APPROVAL
Chief Executive Officer
Date 29th April 2025
