To agree the property services planned and reactive maintenance programme 2021/22 to ensure the continuing upkeep, improvements and maintenance of the council’s property assets and also to allow the council to fulfil its obligations to carry out statutory compliance inspections and related remedial works.

The maintenance budget of £1,927,791 is to be spent on the continuing upkeep, cleaning and maintenance of the council’s 365 key property assets and also to allow the council to fulfil its obligations to carry out compliance checks and best practice inspections so as to maintain a safe environment for the users of the buildings and for the upkeep of the property.

That:

(a)         the 2021/22 cleaning, planned and reactive maintenance budget of  £1,927,791 be approved and allocated between maintenance and cleaning undertakings as follows and as set out in appendix B:

·        £1,364,791 on maintenance undertakings;

·        £563,000 on cleaning undertakings;

(b)         the assistant director for technical services be authorised to take all operational decisions necessary to implement the above recommendation and spend within the approved budgets including realigning budget between maintenance and cleaning undertakings; and

(c)           the building maintenance, cleaning undertakings and small works are delivered through the authorised building maintenance and cleaning services provider (as set out in para 11 of this report).

1.               Not undertake statutory checks, planned and reactive maintenance. This is not recommended as property assets will not then be compliant, are liable to deteriorate and potentially be in breach of legislation, which will have an impact on any services located in such properties, with particular reference to the safety of premises to the extent that they may have to be closed and service delivery would be severely impacted.

2.               Reducing statutory checks, planned and reactive maintenance to property assets. This is not recommended as this will escalate the risk of increasing a maintenance back-log, contribute to the deterioration of property assets or impair the asset from being kept compliant and potentially be in breach of legislation. This will have an impact on any services located in such properties, to the extent that they may have to be closed. Service delivery would be severely impacted.

3.               Not undertaking planned remedial work identified subsequent to statutory checks or if reactive maintenance is reduced below required thresholds in buildings which house council employees, third parties and visitors due to inadequate funding. This is not recommended as the council may be liable should an individual be found to have been injured or suffered loss as a result of the council not carrying out its statutory obligations.

4.               If premises are not cleaned or there is a reduction in the cleaning regime. This is not recommended as operational properties will become unsuitable, un-hygienic and not fit for use by staff, visitors and the public. Carrying out regular cleaning of council’s key property assets is essential as it will ensure they will remain fit for use.

5.               Not undertaking continuous maintenance: This is not recommended. If the council’s estate assets are not subject to continuous maintenance they will not be safe and fit for purpose, their value will not be protected and they will not be in a condition necessary for transferal to our communities under the community asset transfer process should a decision be made to convey the ownership of particular assets.