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Appendix A
Building Excellence A Plan for Change – A Strategic and Operational Plan for Continuous Improvement for the Building Services Team
Hayley Selway Head of Housing and Building Services
October 2013 Version 1.2
Document Control
Consultation – Who has been consulted prior to the development of the document
DATE VERSION CONSULTEES
23rd September 2013 Version 1.1 Director of Visible and Housing Services (Project Sponsor)
9th October 2013 Version 1.1 Building Services Management Team
30th September 2013 Version 1.1 Cabinet Working Group
30th September 2013 Version 1.1 Internal Audit Team
Approvals – How has this document been approved?
DATE APPROVALS
30th September 2013 Plan for Change – Cabinet Working Group
Quality Design Forum
Distribution – How and to whom has this document been made available?
NAME AVAILABILITY
Building Services Managers
Distribution through team meeting network
All staff Distribution through team meeting network
Quality Design Forum Hard copy provided
Related Documentation – Are there any key documents that relate to this document?
DESCRIPTION OF RELATED DOCUMENTS
Audit Report and associated Audit Committee and Housing and Public Protection Scrutiny Committee reports
Departmental Team Plans
Review
DESCRIPTION OF REVIEW ARRANGEMENTS
Plan will be considered on a quarterly basis by overarching Steering Group (subject to agreement by Steering Group)
Plan will be considered on a monthly basis by Operational Working Group
Plan will be considered by QDF on a quarterly basis (Subject to agreeing revised terms of reference with QDF members)
Plan will be considered on a regular basis (regularity to be agreed) with the relevant Scrutiny Committees
1. Executive summary
Positive change is never delivered through the development of a plan or the establishment of a policy. Positive change will be driven
by the individuals affected by the change.
The following plan details the context within which departmental change is necessary to drive forward service performance in terms of customer
service and financial management.
Building Services provides a multi-functional internal direct labour service to tenants and internal departments. It carries out planned work and
responsive repairs in a number of technical trades. It provides technical and compliance advice to departments throughout the Council. It offers
cleaning services to a range of clients.
In June 2013 an audit was carried out of the responsive repairs service and the use of the mobile working. The report that followed the audit was
highly critical of the service and found a number of weaknesses in the management of the responsive repairs process namely:
1. Idle time being charged to jobs
2. Operatives not being where they should be or claiming to be therefore clients being over charged on jobs
3. Large gaps on the Opti time calendar which are unaccounted for resulting in staff not knowing where staff are
4. Extended lunch breaks which are not honestly recorded on timesheets
5. Operatives visiting the Alps depot without need
6. Operatives using vans for non-work related activities
7. Building Services staff operate private businesses possibly within Council time
On the 8th of July 2013 a report was presented to the Audit Committee that found significant weaknesses in the operational management of
the mobile working system. Examples were found of the first six areas of concern identified above (auditors did not find evidence that officers
were running private business within Council time).
Broadly in terms of performance Building Services has made positive strides in the last six to ten months in terms of the Welsh Housing Quality
Standard delivery, of which it is one of five contractors, and refurbishing empty properties in which it has worked with Housing and Property
colleagues to drive down turnaround times and the number of untenanted homes. Success in this area has resulted from managers and staff
focusing on ‘what matters’ in terms of performance and building a strong team-working ethic to deliver results.
A structure of governance has been agreed by Cabinet and will act as the performance monitoring mechanism for the Head of Housing and
Building Services to report to on a periodic basis
The plan identifies the need to tackle significant core service weaknesses, build on operational strengths and develop a long term ‘vision’ for an
excellently performing technical client and internal contractor. The plan identifies the structures and processes that will be put in place to facilitate
change. Most importantly however in developing the ‘Plan for Change’ it should be recognised that it will be the officers of Building
Services who will drive the change.
2. Background
Building Services is set up to deliver a twin function for its housing and public building clients namely the role of ‘technical client and internal contractor for its housing client and technical advisor and internal contractor for its public buildings clients. A mix of contractor functionality and the technical client is sometimes referred to as a ‘twin hat’ approach. Although widespread this approach has not been applied consistently throughout the structure with some operations bring purely contractor based (for example empty property refurbishment and Welsh Housing Quality Standard works – whereby the Property Services team retain the technical client role.) and in areas which do adopt the twin hat, the ‘contractor’ element dominates day to day operations. The team manages and delivers the housing based ‘responsive repairs budget of approximately £1.66 million Within that budget a range of responsive repairs, minor improvement and non-responsive works have historically been undertaken. An annual budget of £123,600 is made available for ‘non WHQS’ planned works. The responsive repairs team’s role should be one of carrying out the repair in a fashion that is based on technical need (in times of a restrictive budget), prioritised based on health and safety requirements, offers value for money to the housing client, is delivered in a way that suits the tenant and is of a high quality in terms of the finished product. A public buildings responsive repairs service is also operated alongside that of the housing repairs service. This is administered through a repairs hotline and charged back to the client. Building Services have been allocated the Welsh Housing Quality Standard works to all sheltered housing schemes. The work is allocated on an annual basis based on business plan projections. Building Services have a small Asset Management Team. At this time their primary functions include the development and administration of the Asset Management database – Keystone and work associated with disabled adaptations outside the main WHQS programme A multi-functional compliance unit exists that carries out the dual function of technical advisors for public buildings e.g. asbestos advice and technical client for housing e.g. gas servicing
3. Strategic Context
The change plan is underpinned by the principles of the Vale of Glamorgan’s Corporate Improvement Plan focusing on the corporate outcomes of: . Citizens of the Vale can easily access efficiently managed services that are focused around their needs, have confidence in how the decisions are made and are proud to live in the Vale Vale of Glamorgan residents have access to affordable, good quality suitable housing and housing advice and support
Under the Housing twin hat arrangement under which the service works Building Services have responsibility for the technical client role and within that role the asset management function for council housing. In the delivery of the Welsh Housing Quality Standard (WHQS) works
Corporate Improvem
ent Plan
30 Year Financial Plan and Asset Management Strategy
Authority’s Financial Plan
Departmental Service Plan
Building Excellence Change Plan and Team Plans
Property Services act as the managing agent and manage the associated budget however in terms of lifecycle costing, technical compliance and planned improvements outside the main WHQS programme Building Services have the key responsibility. In terms of setting the strategic direction in which the WHQS programme is delivered this function should also lie with Building Services and should be explicit within an Asset Management Strategy. The Strategy should provide financial forecasts and investment requirements. This does not exist at present and needs to be developed to ensure that improvements and repairs are viewed in terms of life cycle costings and that sustainability and redevelopment principles and ensuing judgements are made in a timely way
4. Current Position
The following details the current position with regards to operational performance in terms of gas servicing, empty property management, WHQS works and housing and public buildings responsive repairs. The service does not currently have benchmarking data to compare itself with like organisations from across the UK. From collecting performance management information for the last six months it is evident that there has been an improvement in many areas of the business.
The refurbishment of void properties is offered to the team on a property by property basis, with 98% of all empty properties being refurbished by the team at this time. A lean process review was carried out by Building Services, Property Services and Housing to identify process barriers and duplication. The result of the
Performance 2013/14 APR MAY JUN JUL AUG
Compliance Gas Servicing
95.75%
96%
92.5%
97.54%
97.4%
99% (Contractor Compliant)
WHQS Properties Open
Properties Closed No. Achieving WHQS-
% Completed Within Target Time
WHQS Tenant Satisfaction Average score
Process Product
11
8
100
12 10 10
100
11 10 10
100
8.35
10
6 6
100
10 9.75
8
12 12
100
9.85 9.4
Responsive Repairs Jobs per Man per Day
% Satisfaction Process
Repair
% of jobs completed right first time No. of uncompleted alerts
% of appointments made and kept
3.7
NM NM
45% 68
91%
3.9
NM NM
56% 47
91%
4.0
8.4/10
61% 49
89%
3.2
76%
59% 65
90%
82.35% 86.27%
Public Buildings % Satisfaction
Process Product
100% 100%
100% 100%
100% 100%
‘leaning’ process and some structural and operational changes made since March 2013 have resulted in the number of empty properties reducing from 107 to 68, the number of days to let empty properties from 100 to 63 days and the % of properties completed by Building Services with target time from 12% to 100%. The team’s approach to Welsh Housing Quality Standard delivery has been consistently high with Building Services achieving top performing status for the last two months. Improvements in the responsive repairs service is necessary and bears out the findings of the audit carried out in June of this year, the details of which are listed below Audit Report May 2013. On the 15th March 2013, it was brought to the attention of the Head of Accountancy & Resource Management, that a budget monitoring process
had uncovered potentially serious issues within Building Services.
Areas of concern identified were:
1. Idle time being charged to jobs
2. Operatives not being where they should be or claiming to be therefore clients being over charged on jobs
3. Large gaps on the Opti time calendar which are unaccounted for resulting in staff not knowing where staff are
4. Extended lunch breaks which are not honestly recorded on timesheets
5. Operatives visiting the Alps depot without need
6. Operatives using vans for non-work related activities
7. Building Services staff operate private businesses possibly within Council time
Following the allegations a robust audit investigation was carried the results of which are explicit within the report presented to Audit Committee
on the 8th of July 2013. Examples were found of the first six areas of concern identified above (auditors did not find evidence that officers were
running private business within Council time). The Audit report recommends a number of actions to be undertaken by the Head of Housing and
Building Services namely;
• The Director of Visible Services & Housing and the Head of Housing & Building Services consider the findings of the audit report together
with the issues raised in the second BII Report so that appropriate systems, working practices and controls are put in place. This should
be with a view to continue to roll out the electronic mobile working system, as appropriate, to the entire Building Services workforce
including WHQS and public buildings work.
• The Head of Housing & Building Services should review both the financial and operational elements of the service and must ensure that
there are adequate resources and appropriate skills devoted to the project as outlined above. Consideration should be given to using the
Business Process Re-engineering (BPR) Team or other suitable resource to assist in this work.
• The Director of Visible Services & Housing should have regard to the implications for staff resulting from the content of this and
subsequent reports. This should include, but not be restricted to, a review of all roles and responsibilities and a restructure to ensure that
there are clear management lines and accountability and the correct duties are being undertaken at the correct level.
• The Head of Housing & Building Services formulate a project plan to set out how the issues identified above are going to be addressed.
This must be approved by the Managing Director, the Director of Visible Services and Housing, the Leader and the relevant Cabinet
Member.
• The Head of Housing & Building Services should ensure that all relevant staff should undertake refresher training as soon as possible on
the correct use of the PDAs and the whole Opti-Time / e-ConSol system.
A Plan for Change Governance Structure
In July 2013 the Head of Housing and Building Services committed to members of the Cabinet, Housing and Public Protection Committee and
Corporate Resources Committee that a change plan would be developed to drive forward service change and improvement in terms of
responsive repairs and the mobile working system. Further to this a governance structure was presented which detailed bodies that would act as
strategic and operational monitoring groups for the change plan. Attached as Appendix A is the agreed governance structure.
The Audit team have carried out further audits in terms of the use of subcontractors, the use of the internal Stores facility, the approach to WHQS delivery and empty property management Historical Service Review In terms of historical tenant and client satisfaction a robust data trail does not exist to evaluate the service’s record in terms of performance in service delivery, anecdotally however it does seem that a number of internal departmental clients have stopped using the service for various reasons some relating to past poor performance
The following action plan details the operational actions that will drive forward the services offered by Building Services in a response to the needs of its customers, the services current strengths and weaknesses and address the3 areas detailed within the audits carried out within the last six months
Ref Action Indicator / Target Audit Report
Ref By With Date
1A Governance
Introduce a governance model for agreeing the strategic direction of the change plan and monitoring the progress of the plan
Structure adopted. Meeting schedule in place
May 2013
Head of Housing and Building Services
July 2013
1B Definition of roles and responsibilities
Restructure of Building Services including the development of a robust asset management and compliance unit and the review of the current planning arrangements associated with mobile working
Structure developed and affordable Union and staff consultation completed Posts advertised and filled
May 2013
Head of Housing and Building Services
April 2014
2B
Leadership and Management Training for all middle managers (including financial/ staff/ performance management and customer care)
Completion of course Significant improvement in our approach to leader, performance management and financial management
May 2013
Head of Housing and Building Services
Commencing
November 2013
2C
Define the technical client role ensuring that all housing stakeholders fully understand the concept of the twin hat methodology
Clear roles and responsibilities in place Responsive repairs budget being managed more effectively
May 2013
Building Maintenance Manager/ Housing Manager
Additional resource
November 2013
Ref Action Indicator / Target Audit Report
Ref By With Date
2D
Introduce a health and safety regime for all staff working in Building Services including gas awareness, electrical awareness, asbestos awareness, working at height, CDM regulations, CSCS, fire safety awareness
Improved approach to on site health and safety activities
Operational Manager Building Services
Health and Safety Principle Officer
Commencing December
2013
2E
Carry out a workforce planning exercise based on workload levels, trade levels and benchmarking information
Reduction in the reliance on sub-contractors and agency works Productivity across the department improved
Operational Manager Building Services
Commencing October 2013
3A Communication
Introduce a regime of regular team meetings throughout the department including fortnightly maintenance officers service improvement meetings
Improved communication Increased appreciation of departmental performance and service objectives. Agility in tackling frontline problems and concerns
Head of Housing and Building Services
Operational Manager Building Services
May 2013
Ref Action Indicator / Target Audit Report
Ref By With Date
3B
Introduce a range of cross departmental meetings focussing on service quality and delivery, customer care and value for money
Improved communication Increased appreciation of departmental performance and service objectives. Agility in tackling frontline problems and concerns
Head of Housing and Building Services
Operational Manager Building Services/ Operational Manager Housing
Commencing May 2013
3C
Consider the current branding arrangements and the link between the brand and reputation
Branding strategy to be developed
Head of Housing and Building Serves
Operational Manager Building Services
January 2015
4A Financial Planning and Value for money
Develop fit for purpose financial management processes including regular financial monitoring procedures throughout the service
Transparency in compliance with Standing Orders and Financial Regs Improved budgetary management
July/ August 2013
Operational Manager Building Services
Accountant Commencing August 2013
4B
All billing and invoices to be dealt with in a timely manner, and timescales to be agreed within a Service Level Agreement for clients.
Building Maintenance Manager/ Senior Maintenance Officers
Commencing October 2013
4C
Analyse the responsive repairs budget to identify types of work being paid for by the budget. Establish a more representative budget modelled on historical expenditure e.g. develop a minor works budget
Fit for purpose budget Improved financial management
May 2013
Head of Housing and Building Services
Building Services Management Team / Accountant
Budget Legislation
Changes December
2013
Ref Action Indicator / Target Audit Report
Ref By With Date
4D
Introduce a fit for purpose procurement regime that includes a call off list for the use of minor works subcontractors
Transparency in compliance with Standing Orders and Financial Regs Improved budgetary management
July/ August 2013
Operational Manager Building Services
Procurement Team Additional support
January 2014
4E Review the level of use of sub-contractors for responsive repairs
Transparency in compliance with Standing Orders and Financial Regs Improved budgetary management Improved workforce planning
July/ August 2013
Operational Manager Building Services
Building Services Management Team/ Accountant
Commencing October 2013
4F Reviewed the approval to higher cost responsive repairs
Improved budgetary management Improved workforce planning
4G
Carry out a feasibility study to understand the service delivery options for Public Buildings responsive repairs
Improved service delivery for customers
Head of Housing and Building Services
Operational Manager Building Services/ Additional Resource
Commencing January 2014
5A Performance Management
Develop a suite of client feedback mechanisms with a view to develop SLA’s with internal clients and service standards with tenants
Improved service delivery for customers Improved financial management Improved productivity Reduce waste Improve our right first time approach
Head of Housing and Building Services
Operational Manager Building Services
June 2014
Ref Action Indicator / Target Audit Report
Ref By With Date
to work Increase our service coverage Improve our internal and external reputation
5B
Establish and monitor a range of key performance indicators associated with quality, value for money and customer satisfaction
Improved service delivery for customers Improved financial management Improved productivity Reduce waste Improve our right first time approach to work Increase our service coverage Improve our internal and external reputation
Head of Housing and Building Services
Operational Manager Building Services
Commenced April 2013
Complete April 2014
5C
Agree monitoring framework. Update Fynnon with additional KPI suite for Cabinet and HPP Scrutiny monitoring purposes. Develop a KPI monitoring report for the Change Plan Operational Group
As above
Head of Housing and Building Services
Operational Manager Building Services
Initial set April 2013
Completed set April 2014
Ref Action Indicator / Target Audit Report
Ref By With Date
5D
Tenant Engagement QDF to be assigned tenant based consultative body receiving reports on the Building Services change plan and regular KPI monitoring reports for repairs and asset management performance
Tenants are meaningfully engaged in the performance monitoring process
Head of Housing and Building Services
Operational Manager Building Services
September 2013
5E
Client/Contractor performance meeting framework Introduce regular client performance meetings Establish ‘client led learning sessions’ to map out future service delivery and service expansion
Improved service delivery for customers Improved financial management Improved productivity Reduce waste Improve our right first time approach to work Increase our service coverage Improve our internal and external reputation
Operational Manager Building Services – Building Services Manager – Public Buildings
December
2013
5F
Benchmarking of services Agree appropriate Benchmarking activities with validated data collection methodology
Benchmarking in place Comparative data available and analysed Improvements made based on analysis
May 2013
Operational Manager Building Services
Building Services Management Team
October 2014
Ref Action Indicator / Target Audit Report
Ref By With Date
6A
Mobile Working
• Establish an
operational working
group for mobile
working
• Undertake a wholesale review of the implementation of Opti Time. Carry out best practice visits
• Establish a training
regime for Optitime
and Consul for
relevant Building
Service staff
• Undertake an initial
value for money
exercise to establish
how much idle time
is being charged to
housing
• Review the current
schedule of rates
• Evaluate the
accuracy of
Group in place Ex-embrace report analysed Fit for purpose process in place for standard responsive repairs work and non-responsive work Training undertaken System used appropriately Exercise completed and report produced. Action plan in place to resolve Schedule of rates are fit for purpose Estimates undertaken
May 2013/ Aug 2013
Head of Housing and Building Services
Operational Manager Building Services and Building Services Management Team
May 2013
Commencing July 2013
December 2013
May 2014
May 2014
Ref Action Indicator / Target Audit Report
Ref By With Date
estimation on a
trade by trade basis
• Review pre
inspection accuracy
• Review current pre
inspection/post
inspection levels
with the industry
standard
• Introduce electronic
timesheets
• Undertake a weekly
5% audit of all jobs /
alerts
• Review the repairs
finder diagnostic tool
with the C1V
• Work with the BPR
team in activity
audits for key roles
Pre-inspection accuracy is improved Increased level of post inspection work Improved quality of the finished product Improved site management. Improved service delivery Lesson learned culture introduced Improved right first time approach Reduction in the duplication of work/ handling errors
January 2014
May 2014
May 2014
July 2013
April 2014
October 2014 (time to be
agreed)
Ref Action Indicator / Target Audit Report
Ref By With Date
7A Stores
Review the role of the
stores in supporting
business improvement
activities
Fit for purpose service
August 2013 - Stores
Operational Managers Building Services
Additional Resource
December 2014
7B Review the use of storage containers
Improved approach to stock management Reduction of the use of storage containers
August 2013 – Stores
Operational Manager Building Services
June 2014
Ref Action Indicator / Target Audit Report
Ref By With Date
Introduce financial controls associated with order books
Financial control improved
August 2013 - Stores
Operational Manager Building Services
December
2014
Introduce regular reviews of stock certificates
Financial control improved
August 2013 - Stores
Operational Manager Building Services
January 2014
8A
Review the approach to empty property management
Undertake a lean process review of the empty property management process
Reduction in the number of voids Reduction in the time taken to let empty properties Reduction in the rent loss figure due to properties being empty Increase in the percentage of properties completed within target time (Building Services)
Operational Manager Housing
Appropriate Maintenance Officers/ Housing Options Manager/ Property Services Officers
June 2013
Ref Action Indicator / Target Audit Report
Ref By With Date
9A Policy Review Review current asset base policies and amend/ update as necessary
Fit for purpose suite of policies that have been developed in line with legislation and through tenant consultation and market research
Asset Manager
Commencing January 2014
Completion September
2015
10A Public Buildings - Contracts
Review contract management approach for capital projects
High levels of accuracy in quotations Right levels of trades in place for work Satisfied clients Lifecycle costings in place Reduction in long term costs for the client Consistency of work
Operational Manager Building Services
Building Maintenance Manager
June 2014
11A WHQS - Contracts Review contract management approach for capital projects
High levels of accuracy in quotations Right levels of trades in place for work Satisfied clients Lifecycle costings in place Reduction in long term costs for the
Operational Manager Building Services
Building Maintenance Manager
Commencing December
2013
Ref Action Indicator / Target Audit Report
Ref By With Date
client Consistency of work
Develop an Asset Management Strategy
Develop a strategy that focuses on the asset
management of the Council Housing stock to include an
approach to asset management and compliance issues
associated with lifecycle costings for improvements
and repairs, fire risk assessment, asbestos management, gas and electrical safety and
sustainability
Completion of strategy Lifecycle costings in place Reduction in responsive repairs expenditure 70/30% split achieved for planned/ responsive expenditure
Asset Manager
October 2014
Establish a declaration of interests register for all Building Services staff
Create a database detailing business interest of
Building Services staff
Up to date register in place Regular reviewing process in place
May 2013 Caroline Bird
November
2013
Ref Action Indicator / Target Audit Report
Ref By With Date
Develop an asset register for Building Services vehicles and plant
Create a database detailing the vehicles and plant held
by Business Services
Up to date information on assets
May 2013
Operational Manager Building Services
Accountant January 2014
R1.2 Develop business growth strategy
Following the completion of a successful performance management and financial management overhaul embark on a feasibility study considering the opportunities for business growth.
Business Growth Strategy Business activities extended if feasible
Head of Housing and Building Services
Operational Manager Building Services
January 2015