Agenda item

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Thomas)

Report of Corporate Director (Regeneration).

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Thomas)

(Councillor Blamire left the meeting during consideration of this item and before the vote.)

The Corporate Director (Regeneration) submitted a report seeking approval from Cabinet for a new corporate approach to Facilities Management across the Council and Members received a presentation from independent consultants, Cyril Sweett, to assist them in considering the way forward.

Members noted that, whilst the report for this item was a public report, the appendix to the report contained information exempt from publication by virtue of paragraphs 1 and 2 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.

The options, options analysis, including risk assessment and officer preferred option, were set out in the public report as follows:

Option 1 – do nothing. This would result in the existing level of service provision being maintained. This will leave the Council at risk of failing to provide the most effective and efficient maintenance service and not achieving any progress in implementing its carbon management policies.

Option 2 – to retain the hard (reactive maintenance) facilities management function in an efficient way would require some clarification of roles and reporting lines within the existing service and would allow the council to concentrate on those areas of work that it does best. This includes retaining the strategic/”client” function, soft (caretaking) facilities management functions, reactive maintenance and data management whilst it would also benefit from a wider review of the service to ensure that the most efficient use is made of available resources. All major works and planned maintenance would be outsourced as would any specialist and statutory roles including energy management, health and safety roles etc. It is suggested that the outsourcing arrangements should be in the form of a partnering arrangement with the County Council and that discussions should be held with the County Council to this effect and a further report be brought back to Cabinet on the outcome of these discussions.

Option 3 – to outsource a fully managed service with the transfer of staff into an external managed service. This would result in retaining the strategy function and the soft facilities management services only. All major works, planned and reactive maintenance, data management and specialist and statutory roles would be outsourced.

The officer preferred option is option 2.

In order to fully consider the information in the appendix to the report, and in view of the fact that the last item on the agenda was also exempt from publication by virtue of paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, it was moved by Councillor Langhorn and seconded by Councillor Thomas:-

“(1)      That, in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business, on the grounds that they could involve the possible disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 of Schedule 12A of that Act.” 

It was moved by Councillor Thomas and seconded by Councillor Fletcher:-

“(2)       That approval be given to the principles of a reorganisation of the facilities management function. 

(3)               That a further report be presented to Cabinet on the full implications of the proposals following discussions with the County Council regarding shared services.” 

By way of addendum, which was accepted as a friendly addendum by the proposer and seconder of the original proposal, Councillor Barry proposed:

“(4)      That the Council looks at other service providers with expertise in each of the bundles to seek the most appropriate service provider for bundles 1 – 4, detailed in the report, bundle 1 being Mechanical and Electrical/Maintenance Services, bundle 2 being Surveying, Architectural Services and Strategy, bundle 3 being Statutory Compliance and bundle 4 being Sustainability.”  

Members then voted:-

Resolved unanimously:

(1)        That, in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business, on the grounds that they could involve the possible disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 of Schedule 12A of that Act. 

(2)               That approval be given to the principles of a reorganisation of the facilities management function as set out in option 2 of the report.

(3)               That a further report be presented to Cabinet on the full implications of the proposals following discussions with the County Council regarding shared services.

(4)               That the Council looks at other service providers with expertise in each of the bundles to seek the most appropriate service provider for bundles 1 – 4, detailed in the report, bundle 1 being Mechanical and Electrical/Maintenance Services, bundle 2 being Surveying, Architectural Services and Strategy, bundle 3 being Statutory Compliance and bundle 4 being Sustainability.

Officers responsible for effecting the decision:

Corporate Director (Regeneration)

Head of Property Services

Reasons for making the decision:

The decision will allow the council to concentrate on those areas of facilities management work that it does best.