Talbot Gateway … and the new Council Office Portfolio

Corporate Message The Council is committed to building a better Blackpool by putting its weight behind a renaissance of the town centre. The ambition is to create a town centre that offers services to the Fylde Coast population of 300,000 Bringing 900 workers in to the centre of town will along with the college relocation boost the economy The scheme will deliver modern office space set in a vibrant scheme that contains new retail, leisure and food outlets The Councils leadership & commitment is key to making this scheme deliver it’s benefits for Blackpool residents

Achieving our Corporate Goals: Goal 1: Improve Blackpool’s Economic Prosperity The wider Talbot Gateway scheme will… –Bring in jobs to an area where there are currently only 100’s –Complement other regeneration schemes (Hounds Hill & College Relocation) –Make the town centre vibrant and attractive for residents and visitors. Goal 2: Develop a Safe, Clean and Pleasant Place to Live, Work and Visit The new Office building will… –Have ground floor shops, bars & cafes facing onto a new civic square,creating a sense of arrival for one of our major Gateways. –Be designed to meet the highest environmental standards,and our climate change commitments

Achieving our Corporate Goals cont… Goal 5: Ensure Blackpool Council is an Efficient and High Performing Organisation The new office building will… –Help us move from a number of poor quality, inefficient sites into a single well designed building that will help staff to do their jobs –Enable more flexible ways of working that will help staff achieve a better work-life balance and reduce unnecessary travel time and expenses

Supermarket Shared ownership housing Doctors’ surgery Hotel Multi-storey car park Magistrates’ / County Court Office/Library Multi-storey car park Refurbished Prudential House Reconfigured Wilkinson’s Refurbished car park New Lodge Hotel All new elevations Refurbished and extended railway station New transport interchange 4* hotel and serviced apartments Council Office Car Park New surface, lighting, drainage and security New office accommodation Dedicated car parking New Talbot Plaza New Council Offices Overall Talbot Gateway Scheme

Council Office View from Talbot Plaza Artist Impression

Timeline: Construction will commence on site in months Initial Planning 18 months to: –Implement the CPO’s –Detailed Design –Procurement 24 month construction period Construction Period Implement the CPO’s Detailed Design Procurement Jan 2011 Initial Planning July 09 Jan 09

Background: Following interviews with the Executive Directors, space planning consultants have carried out an analysis of the Council’s future accommodation requirements. CELG have agreed a set of high level principles, which will provide the framework for how we will work both now, and within the new office portfolio. The Office Portfolio is defined as any building owned, leased or occupied by Council staff as an office base, either exclusively or on a shared basis.

Centralisation of Resources: ICT provision will be a central resource Meeting Rooms and Conference Facilities will be shared. The Office Portfolio will be a central resource in terms of ownership and asset management. A Council identity will be applied across the Office Portfolio regarding layout, design and equipment. Principles

Space Usage: The office space will be ‘open-plan’ with no individual offices and shared desk space apart from the Chief Executive and Executive Directors The best current practice will inform the design of the space The flexible zones within the Office Portfolio, will be a shared resource. Principles

Design Concepts: The workplace will be flexible, taking advantage of modern technology, working practices and management The stacking strategy will predominantly be organised on a Directorate basis. The Municipal Buildings will be the first point of customer contact Provision of facilities will be based on a business need, recognising the requirements of the service Principles

Precedent Images: Work space Hot desks and team desks Focus desks

Precedent Images: Meeting Space FormalInformal Breakout space

Precedent Images: Storage Space Team & Personal

KEY ISSUES FOR THE COUNCIL Over the next two years, working together we will need to… Identify service needs Change current working practices and culture Centralise the portfolio management arrangements –Office moves / Meeting Rooms / ICT Move towards more flexible working Rationalise the current portfolio –sale / lease termination Space planning for the new building

Drivers for change The Councils existing portfolio is in poor condition, inefficient and spread around a multiplicity of sites Access points for customers can be confusing The regeneration ambitions for the town centre give an opportunity to make the most of the need to renew our office accommodation The Councils investment is critical in levering in further public investment and the projected £250m private sector funding

NEXT STEPS Agree heads of terms for the Council building Move towards a design and cost that the Council can make a decision on In parallel rationalise space and start to change working practices Concentrate customer facing staff in the municipal buildings Reduce leased property and dispose of surplus stock as it is made available Fix a design and cost and seek approval to proceed