Hampshire County Council

Buildings, Land and Procurement Panel Item *

13 October 2005

Services to Schools

Report by the Director of Property, Business and Regulatory Services

How the conclusion in this report fits with the Corporate Strategy

This scheme will impact on the delivery of the following Corporate Aims:

Aim 1 - Maximising life opportunities - by ensuring that Property Services meet the needs of headteachers, children and the wider community.

Aim 4 - Building strong and safe communities - by maintaining and improving buildings used by the community.

Aim 5 - Improving services - by consulting headteachers and focusing on their needs in order that good quality services are delivered from well maintained and developed buildings.

1

Summary

1.1

This report has been prepared to advise the Panel of the approach being taken in developing landlord's services to schools during the period leading up to the renewal of the Service Level Agreement (SLA).

1.2

The also report brings forward proposals for an improvement plan for secondary schools as a result of a recent externally conducted research.

2

Background to the SLA

2.1

All Community schools and 6 Foundation schools currently buy back a comprehensive package of repair and maintenance services delegated to them under fair funding arrangements. The current SLA was agreed in 2002 and will end on 31 March 2007.

2.2

The financial value of the SLA is in excess of £11m. However, it is also the means by which schools access capital project services, including projects funded through their contributions. It is this relationship that has been key to maintaining the Council's corporate approach to the Built Estate and retaining the current level of buy-back is therefore critical to future property management strategies.

2.3

The SLA was developed as a comprehensive package comprising repair and maintenance work and associated technical and professional support. The SLA ensures:

· liabilities are managed for every school (irrespective of condition)

· economies of scale and purchasing power are maintained

· opportunities to integrate work and sources of funding are maximised

· access to specialist services

· one point of contact 24 hours per day 7 days a week

· related health and safety issues are met

The type of work covered by the SLA includes the following:

· maintenance and servicing of engineering plant, including health and

safety aspects

· external redecoration and repairs

· structural and building fabric maintenance

· vandalism reinstatement

· asbestos removal

· health and safety review and report

3.

Service Development

3.1

Given the high importance placed on achieving (or hopefully improving) the high number of schools buying into the service, research has been conducted with both primary and secondary schools. In both cases the research has been undertaken independently and the Panel has previously received feedback on the findings from the primary school research. A development plan is now in place and will deliver the following improvements:

· enhanced health and safety support including support for risk assessments

· further support and guidance relating to access

· re-focused management partnership meetings with regular follow-up and feedback actions

· best value procurement and other arrangements to speed up implementation

· development of a schools capital team to deliver the increasing number of devolved capital projects

· in-line with the above it will be necessary to review charging mechanisms

· improved engineering term-contracting arrangements

· introduction of a product warranty scheme

3.2

Work on the above improvements is already well underway, particularly those relating to procurement which require an extended lead-in time. Work on the new Term Engineering Contract which will come into force on 1^st April 2007 is already underway. The findings of the Miller Associates research and the feedback from the building users have been examined and, where practicable, these will be incorporated into the new arrangements.

It is intended to seek Expressions of Interest from Contractors via an OJEU notice in the Autumn of 2005 with formal tender documentation being issues in the late Spring/Summer of 2006.

3.3

Organisational changes in the Primary School team are already leading to improved turnaround times and new style management partnership meetings are about to be launched. Enhanced support relating to access has already been piloted and new health and safety arrangements will also be piloted in advance of the new SLA.

3.4

Secondary School research

Miller Associates were commissioned earlier in the year to conduct face-to-face surveys with 25 headteachers, randomly selected. The purpose of the research was to find out what headteachers thought of the service and to identify strengths, weaknesses and areas for improvement.

The research concluded that:

· the overall opinion of the service provided was high

· good relationships exist between head teachers and property staff -

particularly valued is the ability to communicate directly with the top

tiers of management

· headteachers would like more support in respect of health and safety

especially matters relating to Fire

· headteachers were very aware of current procurement initiatives and

the rationale behind them

· Engineering term contracts were seen as a significant improvement

although further improvements were suggested:

o responding more quickly to call-outs

o more responsive to schools needs

o frustration with getting contractors to complete snagging items once practical completion had been reached

o brief induction for new headteachers

o isolated concerns relating to the basis of decision making.

4.

Developing an Improvement Plan for Secondary Schools

4.1

Common themes have emerged from both sets of research particularly relating to health and safety support however the majority of issues are particular to either primary or secondary schools, hence a separate improvement plan relating to secondary schools has been developed. This would also seem to indicate that separate SLAs should be considered when the consultation process commences next summer. This is summarised below and the detail is given in the appendix.

Area for development

Proposed actions

Annual report

· To be discussed at regular management partnership meetings

· Web links

Enhanced H&S Support

· Workshops

· Risk assessment templates

· Support for fire evacuation and other policies

Communication

· Improve guidance on split of responsibilities

· Various newsletter articles

· Management partnership discussion

Contractor performance

· Warranty scheme

· Consider increasing number of Specialist Contractors

· Review rotation of contractors

Induction

· Deliver induction for new Heads each Autumn term

Term Contractors

· Publish performance data New SME contract to be developed

4.2

Work has commenced on delivering the above plan. The first induction for new Heads is planned for November and the annual report is being despatched during the current round of Management Partnership meetings. The enhanced health and safety service is being developed and will be piloted during the Spring term.

5

Conclusions

5.1

Given the strategic importance of retaining and building upon the existing management partnership with schools, significant work is being undertaken to develop landlord's services and to pilot new support arrangements. These developments will be incorporated into the new SLAs which the department will be seeking to renew from 1 April 2007.

5.2

It is proposed to keep the Panel informed on progress through regular updates.

Recommendation(s)

That the Buildings, Land and Procurement Panel advises the Executive Member for Policy and Resources that approval be given to:

1

The development of landlord's services to school during the period leading up to the renewal of the SLA.

2

That further update reports be presented to future meetings of the Buildings, Land and Procurement Panel.

Area for development

Impact

Current status

Proposed actions

Lead officer(s)

Annual report to support and enhance Management Partnership arrangements

Improved awareness of services provided and related performance

Report template agreed. Plan to send out in advance of Autumn '05 round of Management Partnership Meetings

· Use reports as basis for discussion with School regarding local and corporate condition priorities via Management Partnership Meetings

· Develop report in future to include web links to Property Services contact data

DCW/MK

Enhanced H&S support service particularly to assist schools with audits, local policy development and H&S risk assessments

Improved support, tailored to needs of individual Schools

Current Service Level Agreement includes for H&S Audits

· Work with Education to develop a series of workshops/ presentations (initial focus on fire risk assessment)

· Provide a schedule of required risk assessment templates exploring opportunities for intuitive software for ease of use

· Define exact nature of practical support to be provided in the development of fire evacuation policies and any future H&S initiatives with potential for major impact

· Consider how assistance might be provided in delivering H&S policies on school sites

MK

PC/MK

PC/MK

PC

Clarify division of responsibility between Property Services and Schools

Improved understanding of overall routine maintenance responsibilities

As per SLA

· Develop new SLA to incorporate specific guidance on responsibilities including replacement of light fittings

KM

Further improvements to communication/openness with schools in response to various queries and concerns

Improved (shared) understanding of the basis for decision making regarding aspects of building maintenance

Schools unclear about Property Services decision making processes, eg why we continue to add flat roof extensions and how capital repair programmes formulated

Concern raised regarding perception that Design Unit fees considered to be very high

· Prepare future Property matters article on

- High performance flat roofing

- Promote H&S aspects of using Approved List of Contractors

- Explaining Capital Repair Programme process

· Routinely use opportunities provided through Management Partnership Meetings to promote positive messages to reinforce articles, explain Capital repair programmes and other communication strategies

· Publish information in SLA/Property matters on fixed fee Design Unit Services (focussing on value for money and specialist services)

SC/DCW

Property Services Manager's

PW/SC

Perception that Contractors on the Approved List are too expensive and slow to resolve `snagging' items

School's to have a clear understanding of requirements. Contractors need to price for the potential impact of moving outside of HCC agreed arrangements

Prompter resolution of snagging issues will enhance School's perception of Property Services as well as Contractors Performance.

Some Schools are believed to be working outside of formalised arrangements.

School's struggle to find sufficient specialist contractors, eg plumbers/asbestos Contractors on current list

Contractually snagging items can often be deferred by Contractors till end of Defects Liability Period.

· Robust support of Approved List arrangement through Management Partnership Meetings explaining consequences of making decisions to move outside of Hampshire County Council Approved List arrangements

· Review frequency of use of Contractors on the Approved List to ensure appropriate distribution of enquiries especially for small works

· Explore ways to increase numbers of specialist contractors on Approved List.

· Explain to Contractors the benefits of resolving `snagging' issues in timely rather than contractual manner.

Property Services Manager's

MF/MK

Dave Corcoran

Property Services induction briefing would be welcomed by new Headteachers

Improved awareness of services offered and how to access them

Secondary Head's Conference currently used to convey news and information about Property Services along with Management Partnership meetings and Property Matters publications for individual Schools

· Induction event planned 21 November 2005 for new Headteachers to include:

- Address by Director
- H&S
- Management Partnership
- Design Unit
- Sources of project funding

· Develop induction model with a view to developing an annual event

· Consider extending to new Primary Headteachers.

MK/DCW

MK/JM

Performance of engineering term contracts

Publishing performance data

Overall performance is considered to be `much improved' by Secondary Head's since revised Term Contracts came into place combining all engineering services

· Enhance performance data supplied by Engineering Term Contract Managers to include:

- Number of visits
- Reactive breakdowns
- Current and future priorities

(local and corporate)

· Sample of Secondary Schools to be included in SME pilot Autumn `05

SH

DC/MK