Asset Management Strategy 2007 - 2011
7.0 2007 / 2011 Asset Management Plan
7.1 Context and
Communication
Members and the public must understand the Council's Asset
Management decisions if they are to support them. The Plan
therefore concentrates on community engagement, giving a pivoted
role to Ward Councillors.
Thanet Council acts as custodian of tens of millions of pounds
worth of assets on behalf of the local community. This is a
huge resource which can contribute to the lives of local people and
local businesses. Like many communities, Thanet faces
competing pressures to do and invest more. Residents also
want to see tangible improvements to Council services and the
area. Ensuring that services, sites, buildings and facilities
remain current, up-to-date and modern is one of the Council's major
challenges. In simple terms, the Council rarely has enough
money to do everything that it and the community wishes. Good
Councils address this pressure in a proactive way by:
- Having a clear understanding of the Asset base.
- Reviewing it regularly.
- Identifying assets that may be under-used, costing too much or
suitable for alternative uses.
- Realising 'value' for reinvestment in assets, projects and
programmes which are of long-term benefits.
- Taking Asset Management decisions on the basis of
information.
Simply to maintain current infrastructure, the Council needs to
generate substantial Capital receipts. On top of this there
is a pressing need to modernise and invest in several projects and
services which residents have indicated support for. These
priorities include:
- Replacement Swimming facilities.
- Parks and Play Areas.
- Refuse and Street Cleansing Services.
- Regeneration and job creation.
- Maintenance of the seafront and beach facilities.
- Port of Ramsgate – which earns cash for the Council and is an
important source of local jobs.
During the period 2007/08 – 2007/11, the Council has set out
clear plans for improving the area. The Corporate Plan (and
associated plans) can be found at www.thanet.gov.uk The
Corporate Plan clearly identifies the need to fund key investments
through the Council's Medium Term Financial Strategy.
Provision of finance relies greatly on use of assets, and this is
explicitly set out in the Asset Management Strategy.
7.2 Our commitment to communicate,
consult and listen to local people
This will, from time to time, give rise to proposals for the
disposal of Council buildings, land and other property. The
Council wishes any such proposals to be dealt with in a clear and
transparent way. The Council will put in place arrangements
to enable residents and, as their locally elected representatives,
Ward Councillors, to consult on proposals for assets identified by
the Asset Management Strategy Group (section 6 of the Strategy)
before a final decision is taken.
7.3 The Procedure for Bringing Forward
Assets for review
Step 1 – The Identification of Sites (usually by
the end of March)
The four year Asset Management Plan will be divided into yearly
Schedules or programmes. Each yearly Schedule will comprise
between ten and thirty projects or sites. That list will be
presented to the Cabinet between January and March, as a Work
Programme that will fund Capital programme for the coming year and
beyond.
The annual reviews are the responsibility of the Asset
Management Strategy Group.
Step 2 – Notification to all Councillors on a
confidential basis (usually completed by end
April)
Once this Schedule is agreed, by Cabinet, all Members will be
advised of the Schedule. This notification should normally be given
by 1 April for inclusion in that year's work programme.
Notification to Members shall take place within ten working days of
the agreement of the Work Programme by Cabinet. Notification
is confidential because consultation can therefore be planned, with
Member participation, rather than carried out reactively.
Members shall then have a 10 working day period to contact
Officers to express initial views on the proposals and/or present
information or specific requests in relation to consultation on the
proposal. Officers will seek to respond positively to
requests for consultation. To facilitate these requests
Members will book an appointment with officers to make sure delay
is avoided.
Step 3 – Communication and Consultation to agreed format
(April – July)
Consultation process will be implemented by the Communications
and Marketing team. All potential disposals will involve
consultation as set out in 1. below. It may also include the
actions set out in 2. below. Either way a plan will be agreed
with the Members concerned.
The first two stages will be implemented for all potential
disposals.
- Communication and Consultation at the local or ward level –
Notify general public of intention allowing 28 days for any
responses. As a minimum, our residents will be notified
in the following ways:
a) Leaflet to local neighbours
b) Newspaper coverage
c) Posters on and around asset
a) Ward Member involvement if appropriate to ensure access for
local community.
- Communication and Consultation at the District or Corporate
Level – it would be possible to implement one or more of the
following:
- Event
- Questionnaire available in council offices, online and posted
to affected local neighbourhoods
- The above could be underpinned by communication on the proposed
programme within Thanet Matters
Step 4 – Consideration of views and
representations
The results of consultation on the proposal from the Asset
Management Strategy Group will be reported to the Scrutiny Review
Group (to be comprised of members from Overview and Scrutiny
Panel), to check the process, and make a recommendation before the
matter passes to Cabinet for decision.
Step 5 – Decision by Cabinet – based on Step
4
The aim must be to conclude this step by the end of July each
year. It is envisaged that, if necessary, the Cabinet will
hold a special meeting towards the end of July each year to hear
any final representations on sites/proposals in a similar way that
the public can speak at Planning Committee, interested members of
the public will have the opportunity of addressing Cabinet.
Where identified sites are reported to Cabinet (Step
1) outside the above cycle, they will still be addressed
through the same five step approach and to similar
timescales. If a significant number of sites are not
progressed after consultation, then the Portfolio Holders
responsible for Asset Management and for Finance shall be
authorised to request Officers to bring forward projects from
future years to maintain funding necessary to deliver key
investments from the Corporate Plan, Capital Programme and approved
budgets. It is necessary that Step 4 is completed by the end
of July each year in order that the Capital Programme is agreed for
the following year.
7.4 Roles and Responsibilities
Council Officers - have an
obligation to ensure that the Council's priorities and plans are
funded. Officers must also ensure that the views of residents
are encouraged and heard as part of the decision-making process on
individual schemes/projects.
Cabinet - must give Officers clear
directions and take decisions that reconcile individual concerns
with the need to fund investment that is of broader benefit.
Councillors - must represent their
residents effectively and help Officers shape and deliver effective
consultation. Although Councillors may have strong views on
proposals, they should also seek to represent the Council
positively to residents, acting as enablers and communicating a
balanced view of why a programme of disposals is necessary.
In particular, Members should be aware that by taking a declared
stance on a proposal early in the process they may be conflicted
out of subsequent decision-making. This may be particularly
relevant for Members serving on the Planning Committee.
7.5 Feedback and how to deal with any Complaints
This plan and its associated procedures will be kept under
review, and feedback will be appreciated on its application and
development. In the event that a member of the public feels
that this protocol has been breached, then representations should
be made in accordance with the Council's Complaints Procedure.
Members who have concerns should raise them internally, in the
first instance, with a Corporate Director or the Chief Executive.
The diagram below shows how the building of management information
surrounding the Asset Register, and application of the procedure
regarding Asset Disposals/Developments, will become integral to the
delivery of corporate priorities and the capital programme:
- Please click on image to enlarge
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