Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Cabinet Member for Property & Assets and Economic Growth.

That the Strategic Asset Management Plan 2024-2030 be approved.

Reasons for the decision

The purpose the Strategic Asset Management Plan 2020 – 2030 was to establish a land and property portfolio which supported the Council’s Vision, ensuring value for money and a commitment to become carbon net zero, whilst protecting and enhancing the natural environment.

The Cabinet Member for Property & Assets and Economic Growth presented a new Strategic Asset Management Plan (SAMP). The new SAMP replaced the previous Property and Asset Management Plan 2020-24 and strongly underpinned the emerging Council plan. The purpose of the plan was to establish a land and property portfolio which supported the Council’s Vision, to ensure value for money and a commitment to become carbon net zero, whilst protecting and enhancing the natural environment.

It was noted that the report had been considered by Place and Resources Overview Committee prior to it coming forward to Cabinet. In response to questions, the Executive Lead for Place Services confirmed that the work of bringing order and direction to the council’s property and assets portfolio was important and this plan supported that work. Going forward it was essential to be clear why the council held assets; some would be for economic purposes, some for operational purposes or some for its social or local community value.  This strategy would help with this continued work. Although the portfolio was extensive, there would be a need for some difficult decision making ahead because of the number of priorities that were currently listed within the strategy.

Responding to a further question regarding staffing and resources, the Cabinet Member confirmed that the objectives and KPI’s have yet to be set to measure progress. The Executive Lead for Place Services confirmed that property services did sometime struggle with recruitment, but there were other means and avenues to expedite the work required.

It was proposed by Cllr R Biggs and seconded by Cllr G Taylor

Decision

That the Strategic Asset Management Plan 2024-2030 be approved.

Reasons for the decision

The purpose of the Strategic Asset Management Plan 2020 – 2030 was to establish a land and property portfolio which supported the Council’s Vision, ensuring value for money and a commitment to become carbon net zero, whilst protecting and enhancing the natural environment.

To consider a report of the Strategic Place Adviser.

The committee received a report of the Strategic Place Adviser, which presented the draft Strategic Asset Management Plan to cover the period 2024 – 2030 and invited comments before the draft plan was considered by Cabinet.

Councillors considered the draft Strategic Asset Management Plan and comments were made in the following areas:

·       Key performance indicators (KPIs) were to be developed

·       Assets belonged to Dorset Council and would be utilised to the benefit of the whole area

·       The use of assets to support and develop service areas was considered and there was a need to consider the council’s areas of priority

·       A point was raised as to whether there were plans to set up panels to look at particular asset areas, with the example of the County Farms Panel provided. This could be considered if felt to be beneficial

·       A discussion was held about links to the provision of land for housing including affordable housing. The links with the development of the new Dorset Council Plan and Local Plan were highlighted

·       Detail of the timetable for the rolling programme of asset review was provided, which would be reported through the governance process, and there was a request for further information on dates for this

·       It was noted that the plan should be the enabler of council priorities, and could assist with the definition of these, without being too prescriptive

·       A comment was made that there needed to be a focus on the economic growth and regeneration of town centres and that the need for a town centre strategy was acknowledged as a longer-term plan

·       There was a need to ensure an appropriate level of resource in this area to progress priorities

·       The plan provided the strategic overview of how the council used its assets for wider priorities and further work would be required on how these were then progressed

·       There would be councillor involvement in the various strategies to be progressed and decisions on specific assets would include consultation at the appropriate time

·       There were shorter- and longer-term elements within the strategy and a need to understand where an asset could contribute to a council priority, and if there were areas that could be progressed at a quicker pace

·       KPIs should be carefully considered to ensure that the right metrics were put in place

·       Work was being undertaken to ensure links between different council departments when considering an asset that crossed over into different council areas.

At the end of the discussion, the Chair provided a summary of the key points raised:

·       Councillors were broadly supportive of the new Strategic Asset Management Plan

·       There was recognition that further work was required on defining the council’s priorities and that this linked to work on the new Dorset Council Plan

·       Further work was required on establishing key performance indicators for this area

·       There would be further discussion with councillors in respect of the various strategies to be developed.