Outline of costs for backing out of the Portland Park County Hall devlopment.

The request was partially successful.

Dear Northumberland County Council,

Please would you release the overall cost that Northumberland County Council and or Arch or any of its subsituaties incurred for the proposed new County Hall site in Portland Park, Ashington.

Please also release a summery breakdown of those costs, separating off staff time, solicitors' fees, administration costs, public consulatation, and any other major costs totalling over £5000.

Please also release a summery of any money lost though the attepted sale of the current County Hall site in Morpeth and any other asset of NCC that is related to the decison to no longer move to the new site.

Finally please also suppply a detailed breakdown for the costs of the upcoming referbishements to the Morpeth County Hall site which are now being carried out instead of the new build.

Yours faithfully,

Dan Parkin

Northumberland County Council

1 Attachment

Our Ref: 3969  

Dear Enquirer,

INFORMATION REQUEST

Thank you for your request for information which will be dealt with under
the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 / Environmental
Information Regulations 2004.

In some circumstances a fee may be payable and if that is the case, we
will let you know the likely charges before proceeding.

If you have any queries about this matter please contact us. Please
remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.

Kind regards

Information Governance Office
Northumberland County Council
County Hall
Morpeth
Northumberland
NE61 2EF

Tel: 0345 600 6400
Email: [Northumberland County Council request email]
Web: http://www.northumberland.gov.uk

Northumberland County Council

1 Attachment

Our Ref: 3969   

Dear Enquirer

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT REQUEST

I refer to your Freedom of Information request in relation to costs
relating to County Hall. 

Right of Access

Section 1(1) of the Act provides any person making a request for
information to a public authority is entitled.

(a) to be informed in writing by the public authority whether it holds
information of the description specified in the request (which Section
1(6) of the Act designates as the "duty to confirm or deny"), and

(b) if that is the case, to have that information communicated to him.

The right is to obtain access to the information itself and not to the
document or record which contains it.

The Act creates a general right of access to information held by public
authorities subject to various exemptions.

Northumberland County Council confirms that it holds the information you
have requested, please see the information below in response.

Q. Please would you release the overall cost that Northumberland County
Council and or Arch or any of its subsituaties incurred for the proposed
new County Hall site in Portland Park, Ashington.
 
A. The costs are currently being reviewed by external auditors and will be
released once the year end audit is complete and the final costs have been
confirmed.
Q. Please also release a summery breakdown of those costs, separating off
staff time, solicitors' fees, administration costs, public consulatation,
and any other major costs totalling over £5000.
 
A. As with the previous question, the costs are currently being reviewed
by external auditors and a summary breakdown will be released once the
year end audit is complete and the final costs have been confirmed.

Q. Please also release a summery of any money lost though the attepted
sale of the current County Hall site in Morpeth and any other asset of NCC
that is related to the decison to no longer move to the new site.
 
A. A total of £179,454 was incurred on preparation for the sale of the
current County Hall site which consists of £122,135 (sale preparation,
planning statements and surveys etc), £44,230 (legal fees) and £13,089
(environmental surveys).
Q. Finally please also suppply a detailed breakdown for the costs of the
upcoming referbishements to the Morpeth County Hall site which are now
being carried out instead of the new build.
 
A:  A budget figure of £17m is included in the Council's Medium Term
Financial Plan for the refurbishment of the current County Hall building
of which £2.7m has been approved by Cabinet for external works including
roof and window refurbishment and brickwork repairs.
Complaints

If you are unhappy with the way your request for information has been
handled, you can request an internal review by writing within 2 months
from the date of this response to the Information Governance Office:

Information Governance Office
Northumberland County Council
County Hall
Morpeth
NE61 2EF

Email: [Northumberland County Council request email]

Information Commissioner

If you remain dissatisfied with the handling of your request, you have a
right by Section 50 of the Act to apply to the Information Commissioner
for a decision as to whether your request has been dealt with in
accordance with the requirements of the Act at:

The Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Tel: 01625 545 745
Email: [email address]

There is no charge for making an appeal.

Yours sincerely

FOI Coordinator - Property
Information Governance Office
Northumberland County Council
County Hall
Morpeth
Northumberland
NE61 2EF

Tel: 0345 600 6400
Email: [Northumberland County Council request email]
Web: http://www.northumberland.gov.uk