FOI release

Redecoration of ministerial rooms

Published 7 July 2011

We were asked whether any ministerial offices in the department have been redecorated and/or refurbished since the Coalition took office. If so, which ministers’ offices have been redecorated and/or refurbished and what work was undertaken, when it took place, and how much it cost.

Note: information not relevant to request has been redacted

Corporate Services Board Update:

September 2010 - Supplementary Note

Work to strengthen the floor of the Secretary of State’s room

Board members will already be familiar with much of the background to the work that has been undertaken over the summer recess to the Secretary of State’s room and ground room floors immediately below. This note sets out the background and details of the work that has been undertaken and associated costs.

Background

1. Engineers were called in early March as a number of cracks in the ceiling of the ground floor rooms were suddenly becoming more serious. The engineers assessed that the floor of the SofS’s room, which has long been known as weak and carried a weight restriction, was at risk of collapse, and the marble fireplace was sinking through the floor. Emergency propping was installed as an interim measure, and the teams formerly located in rooms G1 and G2 were located elsewhere in the building, or to other MoJ offices. The impact on the Department’s business was substantial.

Work proposed

1. The proposed solution involved taking up the floorboards in the SofS’s room and using steel beams to strengthen the floor. The fireplace was to be repaired and resettled, and the room returned to its previous decorative state.

2. The two ground floor rooms underneath the Secretary of State’s room were created when a partition was inserted a number of years ago. The presence of the partition, although not a direct cause of the problem, was a factor in the restriction of the floor’s ‘flexing’ that gave rise to the serious structural issue. Although not essential, the removal of the partition was seen as a way to help prevent a repeat structural issue in the future, and would also allow a much greater degree of flexibility for the location of the larger teams. The work being done to the floor was an ideal opportunity for this to be addressed, and savings were made as it could be combined as part of the floor strengthening work.

Costs

1. When the emergency propping was installed in March/April, we worked on the assumption that the work to strengthen the floor would be undertaken during summer recess.

 (information not relevant to request has been redacted)

Outcome

1. The SofS’s room was completed on time, despite numerous problems becoming apparent once the works got underway, and she is satisfied with the result. When the work commenced, it became clear that the carpet was too damaged to remain and this was replaced as part of the work (the undamaged portions will be re-used elsewhere in the building).  We have been able to raise the number of people permitted in the room to 150.

2. The work to merge G1 and G2 has also been completed, and is large enough for Tim Hemmings’ branch to be located together. We will also be able to bring back the Corporate Governance team, formerly in 102 Petty France.

3. Final invoices are yet to be received by our managing agents from the contractors, but I understand that the scoped works were completed on budget. However, there were two unexpected items that needed to be procured and that will be at additional cost: a new carpet for the SofS’s room was required; and the blinds on the ground floor needed to be replaced.

(information not relevant to request has been redacted)