CONFIDENTIAL
033761
MDHOAN 6948
GENERAL, AND
(III) DELETING ONE FLOOR THROUGHOUT THE NEW BUILDING.
5. THE STEERING GROUP FELT THAT IT WOULD BE A FALSE ECONOMY TO REMOVE THE RESIDENTIAL ACCOMMODATION SINCE THIS PROVIDED VALUE FOR MONEY AND FLEXIBILITY IN THE USE OF THE BUILDING. INSTEAD THE STEERING GROUP PREFERRED TO DELETE A FLOOR OF THE BUILDING (IN PRACTICE THE FCO PROCUREMENT UNIT FLOOR ON THE CONSULATE SIDE AND THE MULTI-PURPOSE HALL ON THE COUNCIL SIDE), A VIEW WHICH WE UNDERSTAND HAS SOME SUPPORT IN HONG KONG, AND TO DELETE THE CAR PARK. THE BRITISH COUNCIL ALSO STATED THAT THEY WOULD ACCEPT THE DELETION OF THE CAR PARK ADJACENT TO THEIR SIDE PROVIDED THAT AT LEAST TWO SPACES WERE RESERVED FOR THEIR OFFICIAL CARS ELSEWHERE ON THE SITE. TAKEN TOGETHER, THESE MEASURES WOULD PROVIDE ABOUT 2 MILLION POUNDS. IN ADDITION OED BELIEVED THAT BY FURTHER CHEESE-PARING AND STRICT COST CONTROL AND A MODEST CONTRIBUTION FROM THE OED CAPITAL BUDGET, IT SHOULD BE POSSIBLE TO FIND A FURTHER 0.5 MILLION POUNDS. THE STEERING GROUP BELIEVED THAT THIS WOULD PUT US IN A STRONGER POSITION TO ARGUE FOR THE REMAINING 1.5 MILLION POUNDS FROM THE TREASURY.
6.
IT WAS DECIDED THAT, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, WE SHOULD SUBMIT TO MINISTERS ON PROGRESS INCLUDING THIS PROBLEM BEFORE APPROACHING THE TREASURY. WE SHOULD THEREFORE BE GRATEFUL FOR VIEWS OF YOUR COORDINATING COMMITTEE ON THE ABOVE PROPOSALS, AND ANY FURTHER SUGGESTIONS FOR REDUCING COSTS ON THE NEW BUILDING. ANY AGREED CHANGES WILL ENTAIL DESIGN LAYOUT ALTERATIONS AND THESE WILL OF COURSE BE CLEARED WITH YOU. WITH APOLOGIES FOR ASKING YOU TO CONVENE YOUR COMMITTEE AT SUCH SHORT NOTICE, GRATEFUL FOR A REPLY DESKBY 12090OZ.
HURD
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