Issue - meetings

This report sets out the proposals for a Maintenance Strategy in respect of General Fund Corporate Property Assets. The Strategy will establish the approach the Council will adopt for ongoing investment in its corporate property estate.

Purpose of report

The report set out the proposals for a Maintenance Strategy in respect of General Fund Corporate Property Assets. The Strategy would establish the approach the Council would adopt for ongoing investment in its corporate property estate.

Decision

Cabinet approves the Maintenance Strategy and supporting Action Plan.

Alternative options considered and rejected

The Maintenance Strategy was required in order to provide a consistent framework for prioritising maintenance spend on the Council’s General Fund property assets.

Reasons for decision

The Maintenance Strategy was the Council’s preferred approach to manage its property portfolio.

Comprehensive condition surveys were being carried out across the property portfolio. These had revealed the scale of investment required to bring buildings to modern standards and a good state of repair. The investment programme would take many years to implement.

Criteria used within Maintenance Strategy for properties were summarised as:

• Alignment to Corporate Plan priorities 

• Health and Safety and other statutory responsibilities

• Condition rating

The property portfolio was subject to a continuous review across the short-, medium- and long-term, with condition surveys taking place on a 5-yearly schedule. This aligned with the Asset Management Strategy and would identify any obsolete or surplus buildings. The Council would monitor progress of this work through Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

The following points were highlighted during debate:

• Condition surveys had been carried out on all corporate assets in accordance with the Action Plan. There was a legal implication for surveys on leased properties because some leases had become obsolete on repair terms with tenants.
• Completed condition surveys were being uploaded to the Council’s electronic asset management system. This piece of work was expected to take around a month to complete. The information would be used to generate a work programme for the buildings concerned.
• Maintenance of existing buildings would likely have a positive impact on the Council’s ambition to reduce its carbon emissions.
• Positive work had taken place to date on the Council’s corporate assets. For example Welham Street Car Park in Grantham had been recently been refurbished in order that it would be safe for years to come; repairs to the roof at Bourne Leisure Centre had been completed with minimal interruption to service or customers.
• The Finance and Economic Overview and Scrutiny Committee had recommended the Maintenance Strategy be approved without amendment.
• The list of assets attached as Appendix A would be updated as and when handovers or sales had taken place. The toilets at South Street, Bourne were to be removed from the list as the ownership had recently been transferred to the Town Council.