Transforming Asset Management: Implementing the Corporate Property Model

CASE STUDIES

At a Glance…

Following an initial review by Peopletoo, Haringey Council developed the Strategic Asset Management and Property Improvement Plan (SAMPIP) as a framework for its property and asset activities. The SAMPIP outlined key objectives, including transitioning to a Corporate Property Model (CPM).

However, further work was required to define the CPM’s scope, including the staff, budgets, assets, and services to be included.

The Challenge

Peopletoo was tasked with designing the CPM tailored to Haringey Council’s context and supporting its initial implementation before transitioning it to the Council’s team. The existing SAMPIP provided limited guidance on CPM, and there was little understanding of its implications for frontline services. Peopletoo engaged services to clarify CPM’s operation, including necessary changes to asset management, budgets, staffing, policies, and processes. Simultaneously, Peopletoo conducted an Asset Challenge on 77 operational assets, recommending whether to retain, dispose of, refurbish, or repurpose each.

Our Approach & Delivery

To deliver the project, Peopletoo implemented several key activities:

Governance: A project board and working groups, including HR, Finance, and operational stakeholders, were established for oversight and issue escalation.
Joint Project Group: Weekly meetings between the project lead and Peopletoo ensured progress and adherence to budget and timelines.
Service Engagement and Budget Analysis: Detailed asset information was gathered through workshops and finance reviews, establishing clarity on property-related budgets and services.
Service Matrix and Asset Challenge: A service matrix captured the scope of facilities management tasks, while the concurrent Asset Challenge ensured consistency and efficiency in information gathering.

Business Case: Findings were compiled into a Full Business Case to define CPM’s scope and day-to-day operation, securing governance approvals.

The Impact

Outcomes Achieved

Peopletoo’s work resulted in several key recommendations:

Policy Development: Core documents, such as the FM Policy and CPM Guide, were created to explain the model and its changes to Services.
Staffing: Property-related roles were identified and realigned, while Strategic Asset and Accommodation Management team roles were updated for future needs.
Budget Structure: A centralised budget model was created to improve clarity, enable strategic decision-making, and reduce recharges.
Processes: New processes were developed for repairs, space requests, and planned works, ensuring decisions aligned with asset strategies.
Asset Categorisation: All Council assets were classified into five categories, determining CPM’s role based on asset type and use.
Savings: Indicative savings included £1.9m in annual revenue savings and £700k in capital cost avoidance, out of £15m in property-related expenditure.