Agenda item

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Sub-Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk which provided information of Standing Order 55 (which requires Committees to consider the efficient and effective use of operational property assets) and how effective the integration of a mandatory element within business plans had been in identifying assets that were surplus to requirements.

The Sub-Committee noted that this process had not been entirely successful, although it had been seriously explored by some of the Departments. Members were extremely concerned that no operational property assets were identified as surplus through this process. Members agreed that they would expect to see operational property assets being released through the embedding of this process within the business planning process for this and future years.

The City Surveyor explained that Standing Order 55 had been effective in ending some poor facilities management practices, but was yet to deliver the assets which had been hoped for. He explained that Departments did not always possess the skills to understand and assess their space and asset use, but the City Surveyor’s Department was able to assist in this.

Members commented that, at their previous meeting, they had discussed options to incentivise Departments to declare assets as surplus when they were no longer required for the Department’s operations. The Chairman explained that officers were preparing a report regarding the possible incentives which could be put in place to encourage the efficient use of operational property assets throughout the organisation, and to ensure that Departments were more proactive in declaring operational assets as surplus.

The Chairman explained that this issue was due to be discussed by the Summit Group in February 2017, and a report would be submitted to the Corporate Asset Sub-Committee in May 2017. Members commented that charging imputed rent to Departments for the use of operational property should be one of the options which was explored within this report. The Chairman confirmed that imputed rent would be one of the options.

RESOLVED – That the Sub-Committee notes the report and the proposals to improve departmental interaction through a revised business planning process.