Extending your property team

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Key Assignment Features

Outcomes

Bedfordshire County Council was undergoing a significant transformation as represented by a move from no stars to 3 stars in less than three years (under CPA assessment).

 

As part of this journey it was deemed essential that the council ensure that key roles were covered by appropriate technical specialists. The Head of Property role was vacant and a historic lack of investment in the Property and Assets team meant that the management of a high profile, high risk area was a key consideration which required immediate attention.

 

Seisin provided leadership for the service in the absence of a Head of Property. Reporting directly to the Assistant Director for Corporate Resources, we ensured that appropriate governance, controls, general and strategic management were put in place for the service area. This combined the roles of the operational Head of Service with an opportunity for the council to receive highly specialist and experienced support on property matters.

 

Prior to our involvement a number of high risk and high profile areas of the service were not receiving appropriate professional attention or direction, this was creating significant financial and reputational risks.

 

Our assignment coincided with the reorganisation of local government affecting the county of Bedfordshire. Seisin’s role was required to address both operational and strategic asset management matters.

 

The original assignment was extended to include the recruitment of a permanent Head of Property & Asset Management and Senior Asset Manager along with additional support while the new staff were embedded.

Bedfordshire County Council - Corporate Property Function

· Service leadership – team management, coaching and mentoring; financial, performance and risk management.

· Supporting transformation – establishing policy; aligning with corporate objectives and priorities; encouraging customer focus; and managing property change.

· Optimising the use of resources – Supported supply chain/ category review; demonstrating value for money for property related works and services; and identified priority areas for improvements within the services.