Meeting documents

1.1. Situation Statement

The then ODPM first introduced the concept of Asset Management Planning in 1999 and for the subsequent few years Asset Management Plans (AMP) were submitted in accordance with the then strict requirements.

Since 2002 Councils have been free to develop AMPs in a way that is more relevant to the individual Authority. The existence of an AMP has been a mandatory requirement of the CPA Use of Resources assessment since 2005.

The AMP for Bath and North East Somerset Council was rewritten substantially in 2006 and adopted by the Cabinet alongside a sister document, the Property Policy, in July 2006.

This version of the AMP effective from 1 April 2008 takes into account the latest guidance from RICS and DCLG as well as the results of the Property Holding Review approved by the Property Board in March 2008.

1.2. Purpose and Scope

This plan sets a broad direction for the Bath & North East Somerset's asset management over the medium term enabling its property portfolio to be optimised to meet identified needs. It includes specific targets for financial year 2008/09 but has a longer time horizon and will be updated annually to provide a `rolling plan'. The plan sets the context and programme of action for the council's property portfolio. It is targeted at a wide audience including Members, Service managers, Occupiers and the Public.

1.3. Key Activities - main areas of the Plan

The size of the portfolio is considerable and as a result the AMP does not identify and consider individual building issues but rather provides a broad analysis and direction at portfolio level. The document is arranged into the following sections with appendices containing supporting material.

Strategic direction

This section explains the current context and also the key drivers and issues which influence the development of asset management in Bath & North East Somerset.

The Estate and portfolios

A description of the volumes and values associated with the estate together with the ways in which the estate has been segmented to aid the asset management process.

Understanding the portfolios

The management of data is a constantly improving and a developing aspect of this plan. Data improvements take 2 forms, firstly the general development of data and systems to reflect improving technologies and secondly improvements reflecting additional specific requirements to implement individual aspects of the Council's business. The latter can be referred to as intelligence and can be divided into 2 areas, namely Portfolio and Service intelligence.

Portfolio intelligence concerns all physical factors concerning the stock. In particular the Council has developed a 5 year rolling programme of Condition Surveys to record the condition of all elements of Council land and buildings and this is pivotal to understanding the R&M backlog and priorities for addressing this.

Service intelligence considers all aspects of the occupier's perspective and includes the suitability of buildings, understanding how Property Services is perceived by customers and learning from the way in which projects have been delivered.

Performance

At the time of preparation of this AMP there are a number of initiatives around indicator sets and a key element of the action plan will be to rationalise this into a suite of KPI's which are consistent with the opportunity to benchmark but also deal with the particular requirements within Bath & North East Somerset.

Review and challenge

The process by which suitability and performance are challenged is explained together with the methodology for the process of Asset Review. This is different in the case of each of the primary portfolios; operational and revenue.

Actions

Actions have been identified and expressed in terms of firstly immediate, ie during FY 2008/09, but also medium term goals and longer term aspirations.

1.4. Property Services Organisation

The Asset Review group within Property Services is the primary point of contact regarding this plan. See details below.

For details of the whole of Property Services please refer to the Division's page on the Council's website. http://www.bathnes.gov.uk/BathNES/business/businesssupportadvice/propertyenquiries/propertyservices/default.htm

Head of Service and Chief Property Officer is Tom McBain.

Northgate House
Upper Borough Walls
BATH 
BA1 1RG

Corporate Property Officer

The current Corporate Property Officer for AMP purposes is Richard Long, Estates Manager details as above.