Reference
CONFIDENTIAL
CODE 18-77
7. The main points to arise on the Preliminary Schedule of Requirements, which had been circulated and agreed by Departments before my visit were as follows:-
(a)
Store rooms
The Management Officer stated that a vehicle store is not required as spare parts are easily obtainable: he anticipates that this scenario will continue well after 1997. Item I(4) has therefore been deleted from the SOR.
(b) Staff Rest rooms/lunch rooms
Many of the offices in the Consulate-General and British Council will be open-plan. A high proportion of the current staff eat their lunches at their desk. The British Council and Procurement Unit specifically suggested an area for their staff to relax and/or eat their lunch during their lunch break. I have therefore included separate Rest/lunch rooms in the SOR at items J(8) and P(87).
British Chamber of Commerce (BCC)
(c) During my visit the BCC suggested an increase to
their area requirements from 2000ft2 to 5000 ft2. I along with the other members of the visiting OED team, considered that co location of the BCC could have serious security, diplomatic immunity and design implications: there was also the problem over the conditions of the current Private Treaty Grant which prevent us from sub-leasing to "non official" organisations. I, therefore, at the wash-up meeting with Mr Heap (Senior Trade Commissioner), suggested that the BCC requirements should be omitted from the SOR. Mr Heap rejected my proposal: he stated that the Chamber is working closely in support of our commercial interests with our Commercial Section and will continue to do so. However Mr Heap considered that the BCC's latest area requirements were over the top and that they could manage with a much smaller space of 1500ft2 (which is more than their existing space) provided they are able to use our Conference and Exhibition facilities. It was subsequently agreed that I should include 1500 ft2 in the SOR to be located adjacent to Commercial
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CONFIDENTIAL