Total Place - KentBold, brave transformational change

David Lewis

Director of Property, Kent County Council

Asset Management

The Kent pilot Starting out…

Mapping the assets

Establishing Governance arrangements

Deep Dive – Swale

The potential for savings

Key barriers and possible solutions

Moving forwards

Starting Out …

Total Place not the beginning of our journey

Partnership working already well established in Kent

Building on solid foundations

Mapping the Assets

how many do we have, where are they etc ?

Created a simple, visual and compelling picture of Kent’s public sector assets

Used as an illustration of the ‘as is’ to enable engagement with all partners – including central government

Map of Public Sector Assets in Kent

Mapping the Assets

More than £5bn (book value) of property assets within Kent

Running costs in the region of £300m pa

High concentrations of public sector assets within close proximity of each other especially in urban areas

Mapping the Assets

Next step to add relevant details i.e. attributes (leasehold/freehold, size etc)

Issues encountered: Consistency – “apples v oranges” Availability / format of data Scope - What is ‘in’ and what is ‘out’ and more…

Mapping the Assets

How to deal with data gaps ?

Defining requirements for data currency and accuracy ?

What system could we use to share information amongst partners ?

Mapping the Assets

Don’t worry - there is a way through the complexity !

Kent have been working with OGC and partner professionals to identify solutions

Kent has developed a simple system for collating, sharing and updating data amongst partners

Data gathering is ongoing, but we are nearing a complete picture

Establishing Governance

Fundamentally important to success

Achieving engagement relatively easy - need a way to progress the agenda formally

Strategic Board formed with independent chair, reporting into pre-existing partnership structure (Kent Partnership)

Practioners working group formed to facilitate detailed discussion between professionals

Deep Dive - Swale

Swale District chosen as reasonably representative urban/rural mix

Workshops with local partners to discuss options for change

Identification of ‘ideal’ blueprint (should all barriers be lifted)

Potential for capital receipts and revenue running cost savings used as indication of Kent-wide potential

Potential for Savings

The deep dive indicates the potential for capital receipts across Kent could be in the region of £720m - £780m

Associated revenue savings could be in the region of £40m per annum

BUT only achievable if barriers are lifted …

Key Barriers

Both cultural and technical

Fundamental to success

Some locally resolvable, others need wider engagement

Key Barriers Politics large and small

Quality/availability of data

Control over assets

Lack of incentive for some

Silo (vertical) approach to expenditure

No real method for benefit sharing

Treasury Green Book

Alignment between service strategies and asset savings imperative

Potential Solutions Place based (horizontal) expenditure controls

Revision of Green Book to match

Use of property holding vehicles to secure change ?

Consider statutory powers to cut through barriers (eg related to national agencies)

Harness property expertise to deliver rationalisation and ongoing management

Moving Forwards Kent Partnership fully behind the ongoing

concept of shared asset management

Further engagement with Government on potential solutions (including the potential for property holding vehicles)

Understanding and alignment of partners service delivery strategies to inform the ‘blueprint’

Further refinements to Governance model

Joint development of local business cases and implementation of solutions

Total Place - KentBold, brave transformational change

David Lewis

Director of Property, Kent County Council