building excellence - valeofglamorgan.gov.uk report… · building excellence a plan for change –...

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


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


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 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


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



May 2013


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


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


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


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


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


Building Services Management Team / Accountant

Budget Legislation

Changes December

2013


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


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


Building Services Management Team/ Accountant


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


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



June 2014


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



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



Initial set April 2013

Completed set April 2014


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



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


Building Services Management Team

October 2014


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


Operational Manager Building Services and Building Services Management Team

May 2013

Commencing July 2013

December 2013

May 2014

May 2014


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 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


June 2014


Ref By With Date

Introduce financial controls associated with order books

Financial control improved



December

2014

Introduce regular reviews of stock certificates

Financial control improved



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 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


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


Building Maintenance Manager

Commencing December

2013


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 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


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



January 2015

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