FIN(4) AM 04

Inquiry into Asset Management Survey

Response from Neath Port Talbot College

Question	NPTC Response
Strategic links and leadership
1. How does asset management fit within the organisation’s overall strategy?	The “Estates Strategy” is developed in conjunction with the College Strategic Plan
2. Does the organisation have an overall asset management strategy and published plans which support the corporate objectives?	Yes – the college has a “Estates Strategy” that supports the College objectives
a. How does this strategy link into the capital investment strategy and wider financial planning?	The Estates Strategy is an integral part of the College financial planning and forecasting process
3. Who has responsibility for leadership on asset management:
a. At a Cabinet/Board level?	The Finance & General Purposes Committee has board responsibility
b. At Executive level?	Deputy Principal
c. At Service level?	The Facilities & Estates Manager
4. How are Council/Board Members engaged with property asset management and how regularly does the Council/Board review asset performance?	An Estates update report is included at every Finance & General Purposes Committee Meeting (4 per year). Asset Performance is reviewed by way of a Room Utlisation Survey carried out annually and reported to the Finance & General Purposes Committee
5. Is there a dedicated property division or similar?  If so please detail its structure and relationship with other service divisions.	No.  Due to the size of the organisation, the property is managed by the Facilities and Estates Department
6. Across the organisations (e.g. at Council/Board, Executive and Service level) can you demonstrate that property is utilised as a corporate resource and enabler of service provision?	Yes, the update reports, the Estates Meeting Minutes and the Utilisation Surveys can demonstrate the effectiveness of the property within the organisation at all levels.
Systems and Processes
7. Can you demonstrate that property maintenance is supported by adequate information systems?  Are these information systems used to:	Some Estates MI is produced from systems – predominantly the energy/utilities.  Some is produced manually from other sources
§ Benchmark performance against that of other bodies; and/or	Yes
§ Link with other relevant systems (e.g. geographical information systems)	No
8. How often does the organisation conduct an options appraisal to ensure that the property maintenance backlog is being managed effectively?
a. Is there a programme of regular property reviews?  If so, what do these consider and how often are they conducted?	Yes but only to consider maintenance requirements etc.  Options appraisal is not carried out
b. Is information on running costs and environmental impact available to the review team?	Yes
9. Can you demonstrate that decisions on new capital projects and other planned works are based on a clear business case, including options appraisal and whole-life costing?	Yes – For large capital spends a 5 case business model approach is taken
10. How does the property division interact with service divisions, what are the arrangements for involvement/support?	Electronic and telephone help-desk system for all staff to utilise.  Estates Meetings involve representatives from most areas.
Resources and value for money
11. What are the levels of resource available, at corporate level, to review property assets and running costs?  Is this adequate?	Each location has its own cost centre so that individual running costs can be monitored.  Utilities usage data is also monitored regularly by building where the facility allows. Better MI could be achieved with additional investment, but Cost/Benefit analysis of all potential investments have de-prioritised this so far
12. What information on the property costs of the buildings occupied by services is available to senior management, and how is this utilised by them in considering service delivery?	Utility/energy costs, maintenance & repair costs, cleaning  and janitorial costs, ground maintenance costs, service contract costs, insurance costs. In terms of considering service delivery, the data is used to an extent, but with restricted space availability, particularly in respect of specialised space, options are limited
13. Does property maintenance have adequate resources to meet its policy objectives and is sufficient priority given to routine maintenance within the budget process?	To an extent – funds are always made available for property maintenance/renewal – but funds are limited across the organisation and with a high proportion of older properties, nowhere near the required level of backlog maintenance can be undertaken.
a. Is funding maintenance linked to the condition of assets?	Yes
14. Given the current climate of reducing budgets, is there any perception at corporate, or service, level that resources should be diverted directly to front-line services rather than to property management?	Although regulatory requirements are always given priority, the college cannot prioritise “lower priority” estates work over core service provision
15. Can you provide examples of how the organisation works with partners to achieve economies of scale in asset management?	Procurement consortia
16. Can you please detail the framework in place to continuously review and improve the performance of property management?	Estates Group meetings, Staff appraisals, Energy & Waste Management Group Meetings
a. Are there annual performance plans, agreed by Council/Board Members, setting clear targets for improvement?	No
b. Does the organisation include this information in public performance reporting?	Energy & waste management information is included within the OFR
Guidance and good practice
17. What if any, guidance is adhered to in conducting asset management in the organisation?	No specific guidance outside of DfES instructions and relevant regulatory compliance guides
18. Do you share good practice and lessons learned on asset management with other organisations/professional bodies, and if so, via what mechanisms?	The FE Estates Manager network meeting provide opportunities to share best practice in the FE sector and communication with the HE sector is also
19. Would a central source of expertise and good practice be beneficial to the Welsh public sector, and if so where should this sit?	Possibly
a. Would training in property/asset management be beneficial?	Not in the FE Sector
20. Would the drive to improve asset management benefit from a repeat of the Wales Audit Office’s 2010 report on buildings management?	Not in the FE sector