Property Policy, Standards and Procedures Manual

Property policy, standards and procedures manual

Introduction

Purpose1

Development cycle1

Strategic thinking2

Policy development3

Policy adoption3

Performance management4

Location of documents5

Appendices

Property policy and standards

Flowchart for developing a policy, strategy or standard

Checklist for developing a policy, strategy or standard

Policy structure outline

Definitions

Impact assessment pro forma

Reporting and design framework

Council vision and aims

Managing the programme of statutory compliance

Property policy, standards and procedures manual1

Version 1.0

Introduction

1. The policy and training manager is responsible for developing policies, standards and strategies that affect technical and statutory standards and operational protocols in relation to council buildings.

Purpose

1. This manual outlines and describes the processes involved in formulating policies, standards and strategies from the identification of new initiatives through to their implementation and evaluation.

Development cycle

1. The development of policies, standards and strategies can be broken down into four phases; strategic thinking, policy development, policy adoption and performance management. Each phase requires specific processes and actions to be worked through as shown in the diagram below.

Strategic thinking

1. Identify issue:

•Identifying a new initiative is the start of the development process and although all staff can identify new initiatives, the policy and training manager is primarily responsible for this work

•The property policy and standards chart (appendix a) provides an overview of the policy development and implementation process for property

•Initiatives are identified from a variety of sources, for example;

–Government policy or initiatives

–Corporate council policies that have implications for property (such as sustainability, energy initiatives etc)

–European Union strategies

•A flowchart and checklist for developing a policy, strategy or standard (appendices b and c) and policy structure outline (appendix d) are available to aid staff in following the correct procedures

•Staff identifying new initiatives should liaise with the policy and training managerwho will facilitate a discussion with the directorate leadership team to obtain approval before proceeding - this ensures unnecessary work, time and effort is not expended on an initiative that may not be approved and raises the awareness of all concerned at an early stage

1. Understand context:

•Once an initiative is identified, a team of relevant, technical experts is convened to give expert knowledge and assistance on the topic

•Background research is undertaken (or commissioned if the technical knowledge or resources required cannot be sourced from within Cornwall Council) to understand the context for consideration and to gather evidence to support the need for a response. This will include;

–Who the intended audience is

–What the impact might be

–What the problems or risks to be addressed are

–What is needed

1. Identify desired outcomes:

•The desired outcomes to be achieved from the initiative are determined (brainstorming and similar exercises can be undertaken to help this process)

•Once the desired outcomes are known, it is necessary to decide on the form the response should take;

–Policies outline what the Council aims to do

–Strategies outline what the Council needs to do

–Standards outline how the necessary action(s) will be completed

Policy development

1. Provisionally agree outcomes:

•Stakeholders should be consulted and involved in the process at regular intervals - as part of this consultation, they will be required to provisionally agree the expected outcomes of the initiative

1. Identify options:

•Research is undertaken in order to identify the available options

1. Evaluate options:

•The impact of introducing new initiatives is not always fully thought through and can impose an untested and unwelcome liability on the Council

•All options are to be evaluated with potential impacts and implications taken into account (for example, the level of resources required, capital, revenue and whole life costs, impact on services, existing documents etc) - an impact assessment pro forma (appendix f) provides a template to be completed and appended to draft documents which shows the likely resource or political implications of adopting the initiative

•Stakeholders must be consulted to approve the preferred option

Policy adoption

1. Recommend policy

•The policy and training managermakes recommendations to the directorate leadership team and will take draft documents (along with the completed impact assessment pro forma) for their approval

1. Approve policy

•The directorate leadership team will either:

–Approve the initiative

–Reject the initiative

–Request further clarification

–Refer the initiative onwards as appropriate for consideration and approval by the asset management group, corporate leadership teamor the executive

1. Policy buy in

•To ensure support is given to the initiative, consultation should take place with representatives from all affected departments/sections - usually, for initiatives that have far reaching implications outside of property, the directorate leadership teamwill refer the initiative on for approval at corporate level, to ensure that if it is approved, it will be fully supported during implementation (as shown in appendices g and h)

Performance management

1. Implement policy

•Implementation is the responsibility of the relevant directorate leadership team(s) and for property services, the construction services manager, strategic property manager and estate services manager have specific responsibility for implementation and action planning

•Methods of implementation will differ but could include actions such as redrafting existing documents to reflect new standards, additional training etc

•Communication is key to the success of implementation and will take a variety of forms depending on the type of documentation being implemented and the key audience identified, for example, from a presentation of building standards to the production of a premises handbook and log book

•Information will be made available in a variety of forms (technical bulletins, memorandums, guidance notes, best practice notes etc) and be distributed through the premises co-ordinator network, cascaded to staff by managers, reinforced through property representatives and made available on the Councils’ intranet and internet sites with key audiences being notified of its presence

•Mandatory guidance and information will become engrained within the Council’s procedures and processes (standard specifications, financial procedures etc)

1. Monitor

•Benchmarking and monitoring of the implementation of statutory issues (access, legionella, radon, fire risk assessments, asbestos etc) will be undertaken through a programme management regime (appendix i). This will be managed by small working groups comprising of the policy and training manager(acting as overall co-ordinator and programme manager) and individual staff members responsible for the particular area of work. The working groups will meet on a regular basis to discuss and monitor progress, update the programme of works and ensure the key tasks necessary to meet or maintain compliance are in place and progressing appropriately.

•Performance or programme management will be used to monitor the implementation of non statutory issues (such as building standards etc) and this will take place within the appropriate sections through such processes as the landlord’s approval process, design reviews etc

1. Evaluate

•Evaluation of the effectiveness of the initiative is required to ensure that the required outcomes are met - the impacts and implications of the initiative should also be evaluated

Location of documents

1. In the interim period before draft documentation is approved and made available on the internet site, copies of documents can be requested from Chris Jackson, policy and training managerby emailing or telephoning 01872 326909.

Property policy, standards and procedures manual1

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Appendix A

Property policy and standards

Property policy, standards and procedures manual

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Appendix B

Flowchart for developing a policy, strategy or standard

Appendix C

Checklist for developing a policy, strategy or standard

This checklist is directed at anyone involved with property matters who identifies a need for a new or revised policy, strategy or standard.

Initiative: (insert title) / Tick / Notes
Identifying and assessing the issues
1 / What is the problem or issue that you are seeking to address? Think about problems or risks to be addressed and the desired outcomes
2 / Is it a policy, standard, strategy, rule or guideline etc, which will address the issue (refer to ‘definitions’)?
3
3a / In answering question two, does the issue sit within an existing policy, strategy or standard area?
Refer to the property and health and safety pages on the intranet to see whether documentation currently exists
Is there an opportunity for rationalising or simplifying existing documentation to reduce duplication and red tape?
4 / You have assessed the issue or problem, there is a gap in current procedure or policy and you have checked ‘definitions’ for the category of document you need
Gateway 1 – Directorate leadership team to review steps 1 - 4:
Proceed: / Clarify: / Reject:
Drafting and implementation process
5 / Plan the drafting and implementation process
6 / Prepare initial draft
7 / Review initial draft and assess impact:

• Audience (who are you trying to influence)
• Pressure on internal (staff) resources
• Capability and capacity of internal staff
• Access/availability of external resources
• Ability to consult widely
• Check for impact on possible related documents (including those belonging to other departments)
• Impact on council resources in terms of capacity and capability
• Cost benefit analysis
• Risk assessment

8 / Consider options and alternatives (if appropriate)Consider risks, compliance, enforcement and unintended consequences of each option.
Gateway 2 – Directorate leadership team to review steps 5 - 8:
Proceed: / Clarify: / Reject:
9 / Pursue preferred option (policy/procedure etc)
10 / Focus on desired outcome
11 / Implementation and communication plan drawn up Consider how options will be enforced and monitored
12 / Impact assessment reviewed.
Gateway 3 (final) – Directorate leadership team to review steps 8 - 12:
Proceed: / Clarify: / Reject:
Referred issue to AMG, CLT or Executive for approval:

Appendix D

Policy structure outline

Appendix E

Definitions

Aim

It is often not clear, when trying to effect changes in the way we manage property (or any other function) whether it is policy that is needed or strategy/standards or something that aids their implementation, i.e. procedures, best practice notes or notices. This document aims to clarify these definitions.

Policy - apolicy is a plan of action to guide decisions and actions. The policy process includes the identification of different alternatives (such as programs or spending priorities) and choosing among them on the basis of the impact they will have. Policies can be understood as political, management, financial and administrative mechanisms arranged to reach explicit goals.

Strategy - astrategy is a long term plan of action designed to achieve a particular goal.

Standard - a process for establishing a technical standard, i.e. a document containing specifications. Typically,standards are produced by organisations (or groups of co-operating entities) for internal use, by specific groups of people, companies or an entire industry.

Procedure - aprocedure is a specification of a series of actions, acts or operations which have to be executed in the same manner, in order to obtain the same result in the same circumstances (for example, emergency procedures).

Notice - a notice is a legal concept describing a requirement that a party be aware of, for example, legal processes affecting their rights, obligations or duties.

Best practice note - best practice is a management idea which asserts that there is a technique, method, process, activity, incentive or reward that is more effective at delivering a particular outcome than any other technique, method, process, etc. The idea is that with proper processes, checks and testing, a desired outcome can be delivered with fewer problems and unforeseen complications.

Bulletin – a short report, especially one released through official channels to be broadcast or publicized. This could be used to support the publication or announcement of any of the above.

Property policy, standards and procedures manual

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Appendix F

Impact assessment pro forma

Aim

The impact of introducing new policy or standards initiatives is not always fully thought through and can impose an untested and unwelcome liability on the Council.

This pro forma provides a template to be appended to draft documents which alerts the reviewing or approval body to the likely resource or political implications of adopting the initiative.

To be completed by:

The document author in co-operation with technical advisors and consultees.

Document title:

Likely impact:

Impact on: / Minimal / Significant / Highly significant / Notes

1. Your team’s resources (implementing the policy)

1. Other sections of property services

1. Other sections of the resources directorate

1. Frontline services

1. Children, schools and families (specifically on school staff/premises co-ordinators)

1. Capital cost of projects

1. Revenue cost of property management or maintenance

1. External providers (both consultants and contractors)

Note - where the impact is significant or highly significant, can the impact be justified (e.g. item 6 could be justified by whole life cost savings)? Please provide this justification in the notes column.
Review and approval as appropriate by: / Please tick as appropriate / Date impact assessment accepted:
Section head
Directorate leadership team
Asset management group
Corporate leadership team
Executive

Appendix G

Property services reporting and design framework

Subsection

Appendix H

Council vision and aims

Appendix I

Managing the programme of statutory compliance

Chris Jackson

Policy and Training Manager

Property Services

14 June 2011

If you would like this information
in another format please contact:

Cornwall Council
County Hall
Treyew Road
Truro TR1 3AY

Telephone: 0300 1234 100

Email:

Property policy, standards and procedures manual

Version 1.0