PROPERTY STRATEGY FOR SEA CADETS 2013 17
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INTRODUCTION As part of offering a fantastic Sea Cadet experience to young people one of our key aims over the next five years, to 2017 is to improve Sea Cadet unit premises. In the past we ve helped units to improve their premises, but more often than not we ve focused on repairs and maintenance of ageing premises which are increasingly expensive to operate. Our 2008 UKBS survey, which inspected 304 units has enabled us to redefine our property strategy alongside our key aims. This comprehensive report gave us a critical view of the condition of units building fabric, external areas, grounds and boundaries. The estimated repair bill to bring our Sea Cadet estate up to a reasonable standard was 31.2m. To help us work practically we initially focused on two key areas: 1. maintenance covering critical elements 5.9m 2. health and safety issues 3.7m In the last four years much of the work in these areas has been completed. Over the next five years our focus and emphasis will change. From now on we ll seek to support long term premises solutions that give the best return for the local delivery of our Sea Cadet experience. We ll particularly encourage investment in new Sea Cadet builds, (based primarily on our new design), as well as unit upgrades and relocations. We ll also continue to give grants for repairs and unit maintenance but will support these through drawing up works specification, helping scrutiny of contractors work and providing a degree of assurance for the work carried out. In all cases we will favour projects that maximise the use of unit premises through utilising shared space to house a local Sea Cadet unit or by income generation from a Sea Cadet unit through use by others in the community. We will also seek to support projects that offer facilities to benefit a wide range of units or cadets from across a district, area or nationally. This means that our focus is now firmly on: promoting our new unit design, with a greater level of support and priority given to those units who adopt this placing a high priority on boat stations and other facilities which would benefit a wide range of units or cadets drawn from across areas adopting a longer term approach to improving premises with a greater emphasis on new builds, change of premises or major refurbishment, rather than repairs and maintenance of ageing and often increasingly expensive tired premises emphasising the growing need when attracting additional funding for a requirement to show shared access to wider community groups and the capacity for income generation through additional use of the building 3
growing the annual fund from 300k per year to 450k per year by 2016/17 and providing via our HQ Fundraising Team external grant support to 50 units each year for the next four years helping units get a better return on their funds through improved assurance and scrutiny of contractors work through advice and guidance from the ABMs and specialist support where needed. Our aims: By March 2017 we aim to: grow the annual fund year on year, totalling more than 1.5m make annual fund grants to more than 230 units support over 200 units with external grant applications support new unit design plans for over 20 units support a number of new builds, relocations and major refurbishments fund and complete major rebuild of accommodation at Welsh Harp Boat Station fund and complete work to improve water access at Thrapston Boat Station develop and implement plans for boat stations for Northern & North West Areas. 4
THE DETAIL NEW BUILDS FOR UNIT PREMISES Working with architects, Relph Ross Partnership we ve developed a standard Sea Cadet unit design. This will enable units thinking of a new build to take advantage of economies of scale inherent in a standard plan, both in terms of cost and resource. So far we re working with; Redcar, Fraserburgh and Welsh Harp Boat Station with further work commissioned for the latter two. New unit design This new Sea Cadet unit design is warm and economical, quiet and strong, cost effective and eco-friendly. The build is of StyroFrame, a modern construction method that gives advantages of off-site construction without the logistical problems often associated with transport and placing of heavy units. Insulation panels enclose steel columns which support the floor forms, creating a stable and self-supporting structure ready for placement of the concrete core. The lightweight panels are manufactured to suit the handling requirements of the site and prefabricated and sent to the site for assembly. The walls and floor are poured together, creating a strong airtight shell, saving time and cost. The heavy element, concrete is sourced locally and quickly placed using minimum labour. Foundation blocks provide an economic insulated foundation wall and the slab is cast together with the rising wall in one operation. Sea Cadets Salisbury Unit is the most current example of such a build. Increased insulation and passive use of solar energy is more economical, durable and efficient than many of the add-on solutions currently being employed such as photovoltaic cells or wind power. Insulation is widely accepted as one of the most efficient ways of reducing energy consumption and is cost effective, especially when incorporated as part of the building system and the payback period is short. The lay out internally is based on basic features of a Sea Cadet unit building for up to 24 cadets and eight volunteers, with capacity to cater for up to 100 cadets. The picture above shows the basic design which can be tailored to a unit s particular needs and enable a staged development whilst funds are raised. A single story build can be easily converted into a two storey build with the removal of the one-piece roof and the insertion of new modules to make up the next floor. This gives flexibility to units to raise the funds for a two stage process over a longer time period. The basic design is 160k inclusive of professional fees, service connections and various fees. Any additional design features a unit might want/need would increase costs. 5
OUR NEW DESIGN IN A NUT SHELL This new design has the advantage of being able to be copied many times. Up-keep costs are minimal and it s easily repaired. The building is modern and eco-friendly. It can be designed to suit the exact needs of a unit and has the added advantage of being able to be hired out for use by community groups during the day and evenings when not required for Sea Cadets, this increases funding opportunities for build costs. We will give priority of support and funding to new builds that use this design. However we acknowledge that some units may still choose to pursue other designs. All new builds will be considered for some additional funding outside the annual fund but with priority to those adopting the modular design. Up to 50k per new build will be available (subject to sufficient funds) in a mix of grant, forward commitment and loans following discussion with UMCs, ABMs and MSSC HQ. In addition the Fundraising Team will support these units in applications for funds from grants and trusts. ABMs will be able to put units in touch with the relevant staff in the team. BOAT STATIONS National, area and regional boat stations are vital to helping us increase our capacity to deliver a great Sea Cadet experience. This property strategy and the investment it seeks to make in boat stations underpin aim three of our Vision & Strategy: Ensuring a nautical focus. This covers: Stithians District Boat Station: 43k over four years to establish a Cornwall district boating station funded via WPA District delivering boating equipment, on-going maintenance and related volunteer training. London Area Boat Station Royal Victoria Docks (RVDS): Work continues with London Borough of Newham to provide a longer term solution for the replacement of RVDS. Development of these plans is a key element for 2013/14. London Area Boat Station Welsh Harp: 40k was given by London Marathon Charitable Trust to help replace ageing and worn accommodation portacabins. Relph Ross Partnership architects have since been instructed and provided drawings ready for a more comprehensive and inspiring refurbishment proposal (see planning sketches on page 7) that will increase capacity by the creation of quality 6
residential accommodation. This will cost in the region of 275k. Additional funding has been negotiated through the Cadet Expansion in Schools programme, with completion expected by the end of 2014. North West Area Boat Station Crosby Lakeside Adventure Centre: Second season of operations recently completed. Three year service level agreement (SLA) in place with Sefton Council. Longer term plans for a boating station to cater for the north west will be prepared during 2013/14 to include consideration of alternative locations in the area. Possible project cost is between 250k and 500k. 250k of funding for this has already been secured. Northern Area Boat Station Port Edgar: Possible new builds cost in the region of 750k, plus purchase of land. Longer term plans for a boating station to cater for the north of the country will be prepared during 2013/14. Eastern Area Boat Station Thrapston: New lease negotiated to provide certainty of tenure for the next 21 years. 50k of financial support through the Cadet Expansion in Schools programme and a trust fund have been negotiated for work on the slipway, boat shed, covered walkway and pontoons, which will improve access and increase usage. This is due for completion in 2013/14. Boat station design This equates to 1.85million investment in developments and improvements to our boating facilities across the UK. 7
HOW WE RE WORKING WITH YOU FUNDRAISING We benefit from long standing support from Trinity House and Seafarers UK and this has given us funds of 200k annually which helps float our annual fund. We now want to grow that to 450k per year by 2016/17. In addition we ve grown our HQ Fundraising Team to give us more capacity to support units with specific build projects and for smaller projects to improve Sea Cadet premises. From 2013/14 the fundraising team will support at least 50 units with external funding bids. This is on top of units receiving annual fund support through applications through their area teams. There are opportunities for us to bid for MOD funds on an ad hoc basis and we will always seek to take advantage of these as well as the current interest of a number of government departments in supporting uniform youth groups across England. Other sources of unit fundraising will be sought based on the priorities reflected in the appendices, especially those seeking to go for the Relph Ross Partnership designed new build. MORE VOLUNTEERS Improving premises is not just about the right design and funding. It s about the right people with the right skills being available to support and participate with unit management teams. MSSC has been able to attract sufficient funds from a number of government department programmes to employ seven recruitment and development workers to work across our regional areas. Their focus is on building cadet numbers and volunteers with the right skills to help support certain units in specific priority areas determined by central government. They may be able to help those units seeking specific support to help fundraise locally or who have the right skills to support major building projects.
SPECIALIST SUPPORT We will use specialist knowledge to help and support general infrastructure improvements for Sea Cadet units and the new unit design in place is a good example of this. We re exploring others, for example we ve commissioned an estate agency to design simple templates that unit management teams can use when commissioning work and offering work for tender. These templates and guidance take the leg work out of this costly and time consuming process by identifying the key questions to ask contractors and give greater assurance to committees of the type and quality of work that can be expected. It will help ensure that every pound raised provides the best return to the unit. On completion of work MSSC recommend the use of an independent quality assurance report on the work done, so that any snagging issues can be addressed immediately. For high value work consideration should be given to scrutiny by a surveyor. This could be through desk assessment using detailed photographs of the work or by a site visit depending on need, value and requirement. WORKING WITH LOCAL COMMUNITIES Many units already raise income through renting out space or hiring use of their facilities to local community groups. A few units are in shared premises or work closely with other similar youth organisations. This joint working and partnerships is very appealing to funders. A critical element in the strategy, given the significant costs involved in any major refurbishment or new build is the importance of units seeking shared use of premises, either by joining with others to reduce costs or in letting out their accommodation for income generation. In assessing bids for the annual fund we ll always be looking to see to what extent income generation schemes are in place or where shared premises are planned either for new builds, relocations or major refurbishments and where this is in place priority will be given over such applications compared to where it does not exist.
EXTRA SUPPORT We re working to make the annual fund process more effective so that every pound gives maximum benefit. We re doing this through clear project specifications and by exploring ways of offering a desk top service to review these by specialists in the field before inviting tenders, plus a facility review to get a clear picture on work to be done to the agreed standard when completed. These elements are reflected in the guidance and terms and conditions and include clear agreement of the level of matched funding offered, a condition of support for the new branding to be used at units and also longer term conditions to ensure there is a return on investment for the funds given through MSSC. More detailed guidance will be available where significant contributions from MSSC are provided. OUR COMMITMENT MSSC is committed to this property strategy and supporting units with specialist knowledge and skills as well as financially. It is the highest priority in our Vision & Strategy.
Patron: HM The Queen A charity registered in England and Wales 313013 and in Scotland SC037808