Workspace Strategy - Level 2

Question 1

Cornwall - Why did you recommend a revised dual-site approach for the MMO?

Answer 1

Capacity: dual-site option ensured compliance with 60% attendance mandate.

Resilience: avoided overloading a single site and safeguarded operational continuity.

Operational alignment:

Separated office vs operational functions.

Retained essential operational elements on Newlyn quay.

Cost perspective:

Site costs were relatively low (£20k Newlyn, £16k Hayle p.a.).

In context of Defra’s £97.5m estate budget, not worth challenging the mandate.

Value/Outcome: both sites improved — Hayle downsized footprint, Newlyn moved to newer offices + separate operational store.

Question 2

Cornwall – tell me about the two sites and their performance.

Answer 2

Location: Hayle and Newlyn are ~10 miles apart (20–120 min drive depending on traffic).

Hayle: underutilised, inefficient, fewer inspections, not aligned with MMO needs.

Newlyn: far greater operational value – ~3–4 times more boat inspections than Hayle.

Feedback: staff confirmed Newlyn was stronger; Hayle not meeting requirements.

Initial strategy: consolidate into Newlyn to improve efficiency and align with Defra objectives.

Question 3

Cornwall - How did the introduction of the workplace mandate change the strategy?

Answer 3

Mandate: 60% attendance introduced.

Impact on Newlyn:

Actual attendance ~20% (7 FTE/day out of 35 occupants).

Capacity for ~50 FTE at GPA 6m²/FTE standard (3.6m² at 60%).

At 60% mandate, utilisation would have been too tight once Hayle staff added.

Constraints:

Desk capacity + retention of collaboration space.

Operational functions (more space intensive) could not be absorbed by Newlyn office.

Outcome: consolidation impossible → required revised dual-site approach.

Question 4

Cornwall - How did you benchmark the operational costs?

Answer 4

Running costs: compared FM, utilities, rent/service charges at both sites.

Efficiency: measured costs against utilisation (cost per FTE/m²).

Capital: assessed cost-efficiency of renewing Hayle lease vs relocating to new Newlyn offices.

Benchmarking:

Office elements measured against GPA/Defra Design Guide (6m²/FTE at 100%, 3.6m²/FTE at 60%).

Operational benchmarking used MMO/CEFAS requirements across estate (e.g. number of inspections, staff needs).

Outcome: Newlyn offered better operational and financial value.

Question 5

Cornwall - How did you propose consolidating into Newlyn initially?

Answer 5

Proposal: close Hayle, consolidate all staff and functions into Newlyn.

Evidence base:

Newlyn had higher utilisation and operational value.

Better aligned with MMO’s inspection activity (3–4 times more).

Rationale: supported Defra efficiency goals and reduced estate footprint.

Limitation: became unworkable under 60% mandate (capacity too tight).

Question 6

Cornwall - What alternative configurations did you explore once the mandate came in?

Answer 6

Single-site Newlyn: rejected – lacked space at 60% attendance + operational load.

Dual-site option:

Downsize Hayle to smaller footprint on lease renewal.

Move Newlyn into newer separate offices + operational store.

Benefits:

Maintained collaboration space.

Achieved more efficient footprints (Hayle ~3m²/FTE, Newlyn ~4.5m²/FTE vs target 3.6m²).

Separated office and operational functions for better delivery.

Question 7

Cornwall - How did you assess the performance of Hayle/Newlyn?

Answer 7

Utilisation data: IT login records showed Hayle underutilised, Newlyn more active.

Occupant feedback: staff confirmed Newlyn was more suitable for inspections and daily work.

Operational metrics: inspection throughput at Newlyn was significantly higher than Hayle.

Benchmarking: space per FTE vs GPA standards → scope to reduce footprints at both.

Conclusion: Newlyn offered greater operational value, Hayle needed rationalisation.

Question 8

Cornwall - What operational space did MMO require?

Answer 8

Office space for staff (policy/admin).

Operational storage: equipment, vehicles, and gear.

Access/parking: for MMO vehicles.

Specialist facilities: proximity to harbours for inspections and fisheries enforcement.

Question 9

Portsmouth - How did you demonstrate that Lynx House/new HMRC site were not an effective workspace?

Answer 9

Utilisation: 9 FTE assigned, only 1 average daily attendance.

Operational misfit: poor parking, limited storage, no strategic requirement.

Future risk: HMRC relocation would worsen alignment (no parking/storage).

Conclusion: retaining Portsmouth presence was neither cost-effective nor operationally justified.

Question 10

How do you evaluate performance of workspace based on occupant feedback?

Answer 10

Consultations and feedback sessions with MMO staff.

Lynx House: concerns over limited parking and storage.

Hayle/Newlyn: feedback confirmed Newlyn provided much greater operational value — around 3–4 times as many boat inspections were carried out there.

Conclusion: feedback reinforced utilisation data, evidencing Newlyn’s higher value and Hayle’s inefficiency.

Question 11

Portsmouth - Lynx House – tell me about the poor alignment to MMO’s long-term needs.

Answer 11

Location: Portsmouth no longer strategic; MMO did not intend to recruit there.

Operations: very few inspections were carried out there compared with other sites.

Facilities: poor parking, restricted storage, limited operational capacity.

Timing: HMRC lease expiry presented an opportunity to exit rather than worsen alignment.

Question 12

Portsmouth - Why did you recommend sharing space with other Defra agencies?

Answer 12

Provided continuity of operational capacity through nearby Defra sites.

Aligned with MMO strategy – no further recruitment into Portsmouth.

Supported Defra’s wider strategy – estate consolidation to reduce carbon and costs.

Delivered efficiency – avoided retaining an isolated, underused site.

Question 13

How do you evaluate performance of the work environment based on utilisation studies?

Answer 13

Staff consultations and feedback sessions conducted.

Lynx House – concerns about limited parking and storage.

Hayle/Newlyn – feedback confirmed Newlyn offered greater operational value; Hayle was inefficient and underutilised.

Question 14

How do you identify the impacts of implementing a workplace strategy?

Answer 14

Baseline vs revised comparison across cost, utilisation, and resilience.

Staff engagement factored into analysis.

Example: consolidation into Newlyn was efficient, but unworkable under 60% attendance mandate → revised dual-site solution maintained resilience.

Question 15

What KPIs do you use to determine if implementation of a workspace strategy was successful?

Answer 15

Financial: cost per FTE, cost per m².

Utilisation: uplift compared with baseline.

People: staff satisfaction, POE scores.

Operational: resilience metrics (e.g. response times).

Example: Newlyn – separation of operational and office functions created a more efficient, fit-for-purpose layout.

Question 16

Portsmouth - How would the HMRC’s relocation worsen the alignment?

Answer 16

HMRC relocation was to a new city-centre office.

New site had no operational storage and even less parking.

This would have increased constraints for MMO operations.

Question 17

Portsmouth - What were your findings from the review of the Lynx House site?

Answer 17

Utilisation: extremely low (1 daily vs 9 assigned FTE).

Strategic alignment: no long-term MMO need in Portsmouth.

Operational fit: poor vehicle access, limited storage.

Conclusion: site was neither cost-effective nor operationally justified.

Question 18

Portsmouth - Why was a presence in Portsmouth neither cost-effective or operationally justified?

Answer 18

Cost: disproportionate compared to very low utilisation.

Operational delivery: core requirements (vehicle access, storage) not met.

Strategic need: MMO had no reason to maintain a Portsmouth base.