Influencing and developing the management of the Council's Corporate property and land assets.

Services we provide:

• Architectural Services - Covers the provision of a full range of professional services as detailed by the Royal Institute of British Architects in their 'Plan of Work' including:
  1. Feasibility Studies, Design, Planning and Constructional approvals, full production drawings and schedules, liaison with Consultants, Contractors, Sub-Contractors and Suppliers, Contract Management and on-site supervision.
  2. Other services are also provided such as advice to client(s)/groups in support of projects which may receive external funding such as lotteries.
• Asset Management - Covers the provision of high level Asset Management Plans and a Capital Strategy which underpin Council wide strategies and policies contained within the Key Result Areas. Also includes support to the Corporate Asset Management Team and to individual service areas on all matters relevant to a robust asset management regime.
• Building Security management - Covers the provision of support services to ensure that our premises, including staff, are secure from criminal elements as well as the potential risk of fire.
• Construction Health and Safety management - Current Health and Safety at Work legislation, including the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations, the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations together with several others, place a legal requirement on the Council to discharge its duties in various ways. The team has a wide knowledge and experience of the procedures necessary to ensure the Council meets those obligations.
• Consultant Procurement and management - In the absence of certain skills and disciplines within the Council it is necessary on occasion to appoint an External Consultant to provide the missing expertise. This work is undertaken by the team on a project by project basis and includes selection, commissioning, negotiating and supervision as appropriate.
• Energy management - As part of our corporate commitment to the practice of energy efficiency members of the team initiate various projects such as monitoring, fuel purchasing, tariff negotiations, as well as replacement of current mechanical services and plant. The process also includes monitoring the use of water and related costs of sewage discharge. Corporate initiatives such as response to the Home Energy Conservation Act and Fuel Poverty Strategy are also included.
• Estates and Valuation Service - This element is a part of the Asset Management role and covers the sale and purchase of assets, negotiating and review of head leases and rents, concessionary licences, property valuation etc.
• Financial Management - The team are responsible for 150 budgets for repair and maintenance of assets as well as larger amounts under the two Capital Programmes - Housing and Other Services. They have set up an IT based programme to assist with the management, review and forward budgeting needs. The results of which are fed into the annual corporate budget setting process. Its accuracy is essential if we are to retain costs within the limits we have set ourselves.
• Repair and Maintenance Service - Covers the day to day reactive response to the needs of the premises to support the various services which may be discharged -at that address. It also includes inspections to identify future needs plus the provision of appropriate support and advice to occupants as well as overall management of the service.

Did You Know:

• Over the district we use 45,500 toilet rolls a year, which unravelled, would cover the earth the distance from here to Sydney Australia.
• We spend £47,000 a year on vandalism to public property excluding parks, shrubs and trees. 47% of all orders issued on Public Convenience repairs are due to vandalism.
• We have 5 calls a week complaining about children playing near to people's homes.
• Last year we installed 20 memorial seats for the public to remember their loved ones.
• We repaired and installed 194 street nameplates last year.
• We erect 5 Christmas trees each year with 1000 glowing lamps.

We Will:

On service delivery:

• We will provide value for money services
• We will seek your views and take them into account when making decisions about services.
• We will provide regular financial statements for your budgets

When you contact us:

• We will be friendly, polite and professional.
• We will be honest with you.
• When you ask for information:
• We will deal with straightforward requests within two working days.
• If an immediate response is not possible we will indicate the earliest date for a reply
• If we cannot provide the information we will endeavour to advise you who may be of assistance

When you phone us:

• We will do our best to answer all calls within five rings.
  If we cannot deal with your enquiry immediately we will give the name of the person the enquiry will be passed to, and say when we expect them to get back to you.
  If we do not answer within five rings your call will be diverted to another member of staff or to "Voice-Mail" (an automated message taking system) which is regularly reviewed.

When you write to us:

• We will acknowledge your letter within three working days of having received it.
• We will send a full reply within ten working days or telephone and discuss the issue(s).
• If we cannot give you a full reply within ten working days we will write to you or telephone to explain why. We will give you an indication of when a reply can be expected.

You can Help us by:

• If you are reporting a problem please give as much detail as possible and a telephone contact number so that we can ring you back in the event that further clarification is required. It also allows us to say "thank-you".

You can get in touch with us by:

• Telephone: 01502 523371
• Fax No: 01502 514617

If you are unhappy or if you have a complaint:

• Tell us. We will acknowledge your complaint and deal with it sympathetically and professionally. If possible we will try to rectify the matter immediately.
  If you are not satisfied with this, we will investigate what went wrong and reply within ten working days.
  If you are not happy with our responses the options you have under the Council's formal complaints procedure will be explained to you and we will help you with the procedure.