A new framework for local authority asset management* has been launched by the Government aimed at empowering local government to secure the best and most sustainable use of its assets and to enhance service delivery, with potentially large benefits for sustainable property management.

The document confirms that “sustainable procurement, maintenance and management of assets should be a key consideration for local authorities when they are developing their asset management strategies”, noting that LAs are central to the UK Government’s Sustainable Development Strategy. They contribute by creating sustainable communities at the local level, promoting high quality design and construction to reduce waste and improve resource efficiency; promoting more sustainable buildings; and putting sustainable development at the heart of the planning system”.

Introducing the report, Local Government Minister John Healey pointed out that: “Councils can also lead the way in tackling climate change by running their buildings in an environmentally sustainable way, and working to improve the energy efficiency of new and existing commercial buildings”. The Government’s Sustainable Procurement Action Plan of 2006 sets targets including the reduction of carbon emissions from offices and road vehicles; an increase in energy efficiency, including increased use of renewable energy; a reduction in waste production and increased recycling rates; a reduction in water consumption in the office and non-office estate; and meeting biodiversity targets.

The Local Government Sustainable Procurement Strategy sets out clear intentions for local authorities “to harness the sustainability potential of their procurement spend to supplement the social, economic and environmental well-being objectives of their sustainable community strategies”. Among its key objectives are “mainstreaming sustainable procurement and asset management into activities; and awarding contracts on the basis of whole life costs and benefits wherever possible”.

It proposes that representative performance indicators from among the reduced total of 198 used since the 2006 Local Government White Paper would be used as part of the “Use of Resource judgment”, with local authorities “judged on how well they work with other local public agencies to identify opportunities for using assets to deliver greater benefits for the community”.

It says “the proposed approach would also assess whether organisations are strategic in minimising their impact on the environment, and how well they are tackling climate change”.
*Building on strong foundations: A Framework for Local Authority Asset Management, DCLG, February, 2008

u www.communities.gov.uk/documents/localgovernment/pdf/20