C13 Strategic asset management

The Directorate's asset management strategy is based on the following key principles:

• asset management activities are undertaken within an integrated and coordinated framework
• asset management practices and decisions are guided by service delivery needs
• asset planning and management are integrated with corporate and business plans, as well as budgetary and reporting processes
• capital expenditure decisions are based on evaluations of alternatives that take into account estimated costs, benefits and risks, in particular occupational, health and safety risks.

The Directorate is responsible for 86 public schools including preschool sites. The Directorate also became responsible for 33 early childhood and childcare centres transferred from the Community Services Directorate following the 16 November 2012 Administrative Arrangement Orders.

To ensure directorate facilities are kept at standards suitable for delivering quality educational programs the Directorate has a maintenance program for urgent and minor repairs, planned maintenance, and repair of vandalised and damaged facilities. In the case of early childhood and childcare centres the Directorate shares the responsibility for maintenance and repair with the responsible management organisations who are responsible for minor and ongoing maintenance. The Directorate also has an ongoing capital works program for the upgrade of school, preschool, early childhood and childcare centre facilities.

Issues managed by the Directorate include:

• ageing asset stock refurbishment to support curriculum activities and service delivery needs
• installation of information and communication technology infrastructure
• utilisation of existing facilities
• car parking and traffic management
• installation of security related infrastructure
• demographic change
• environmental efficiency and sustainable landscapes
• energy efficiency and climate change.

Assets managed

As at 30 June 2013, the Directorate managed assets with a total net book value of $1,965.8 million (Table C13.1).

C13.1: Assets and their values at 30 June 2013

During 2012-13 the significant assets added to the Directorate's asset register are given in Table C13.2.

Table C13.2: Assets added to the asset register during 2012-13

Asset transfers

During 2012-13, the Directorate became responsible for 33 early childhood and childcare centres transferred from the Community Services Directorate following the 16 November 2012 Administrative Arrangement Orders. The total value of the assets transferred in 2012-13 was $33.3 million.

Asset maintenance and upgrade

The Directorate undertakes maintenance and upgrades to schools in consultation with schools and their communities. The Directorate prepared annual repairs and maintenance plans for each school on the basis of information from building condition assessments, requests from schools and information gained from other sources such as consultant reports and site visits. Works were subsequently undertaken, at a local level by schools and through the Directorate's Schools Capital Works branch, with larger and more significant works included in the Directorate's capital works program in priority order within the available funds.

The maintenance of childcare facilities is undertaken by the Directorate in conjunction with the service providers who are responsible for ongoing and minor maintenance. Larger and more significant works are undertaken through the Directorate's maintenance and capital works programs.

The importance of maintenance and major refurbishment is a priority for the Directorate given the increasing average age of school and childcare facilities.

Asset transfers

During 2012-13, the Directorate became responsible for 33 early childhood and childcare centres transferred from the Community Services Directorate following the 16 November 2012 Administrative Arrangement Orders. The total value of the assets transferred in 2012-13 was $33.3 million.

Asset maintenance and upgrade

The Directorate undertakes maintenance and upgrades to schools in consultation with schools and their communities. The Directorate prepared annual repairs and maintenance plans for each school on the basis of information from building condition assessments, requests from schools and information gained from other sources such as consultant reports and site visits. Works were subsequently undertaken, at a local level by schools and through the Directorate's Schools Capital Works branch, with larger and more significant works included in the Directorate's capital works program in priority order within the available funds.

The maintenance of childcare facilities is undertaken by the Directorate in conjunction with the service providers who are responsible for ongoing and minor maintenance. Larger and more significant works are undertaken through the Directorate's maintenance and capital works programs.

The importance of maintenance and major refurbishment is a priority for the Directorate given the increasing average age of school and childcare facilities.

Asset maintenance

In 2012-13, the Directorate expended $14.131 million on school repairs and maintenance. The repairs and maintenance program included:

• a program of works for all primary and secondary level schools, based on the annual rolling program
• an allocation for unforeseen maintenance such as vandalism, fire and flood damage
• high priority works arising from school building condition assessment reports
• a schedule of maintenance for preschools.

In addition, capital funding was available in the 2012-13 Budget to complete the second year of a program of fire system upgrades across all ACT public schools ($2.56 million over the two years) and to complete a program of hazardous materials removal works at priority schools ($3.4 million over the two years).

During 2012-13, the Directorate became responsible for a repairs and maintenance budget of $0.220 million to undertake planned and unforeseen maintenance works at childcare centres.

Building condition assessments of all schools (including preschools) and childcare facilities are conducted on a three-year rolling program and cover buildings, services and grounds. During 2012-13, building condition assessments were conducted at 28 schools and were commenced at 10 childcare centres. The results of these reports are taken into account in preparing the Directorate's annual repairs and maintenance programs.

In line with the Dangerous Substances Act 2004, the Directorate completed the program of inspections to prepare Hazardous Materials Survey Management Plans (HMSMP) for each school (including preschool) and childcare facility. These plans are comprehensive and include all potentially hazardous materials (asbestos containing materials, lead-based paint, synthetic mineral fibres, polychlorinated biphenyls and ozone depleting substances). The HMSMP is updated every three years, with the asbestos materials component updated annually and to be issued as a separate report titled "Re-inspection of Asbestos Containing Material Report".

Copies of HMSMP and the Asbestos Register are accessible at each school (including preschool) and childcare centre for inspection by staff, parents, carers and trades people with plans showing areas of known asbestos containing materials mounted in entry areas of all schools (including preschools).

Tree assessment audits are conducted at each school on an annual basis. The 2012-13 year was the fourth year of annual audits with 88 audits conducted. The outcomes are included in the Directorate's tree maintenance program.

During the reporting period, the Directorate conducted its annual bushfire prevention audit. These audits were conducted across all ACT public schools and included removing leaf litter from roofs, gutters and downpipes, cutting long grass, clearing grounds of tree litter and removing stockpiles of combustible material such as paper, cardboard and compost.

As part of the fire systems upgrade program for all schools commenced in 2011-12, fire detection and evacuation systems (including emergency lighting, emergency egress, fire indictor panels, smoke and thermal detectors and emergency warning intercom systems) were upgraded. The fire systems at the remaining 56 schools were completed in 2012-13. Fire systems upgrades were also undertaken at two childcare centres in 2012-13.

Stage 2 of the hazardous materials removal program was concluded in 2012-13. In the reporting period, asbestos removal work was undertaken at 50 ACT public schools.

During 2012-13, the Directorate also undertook the following major specific works:

• asbestos containment removal works at Turner School and Narrabundah College
• ceiling and lighting replacement works at Chapman Primary School
• upgrade of areas of roofing at Calwell High School and Ngunnawal Primary School
• sewer relining and repair works at Macquarie Primary School and Lyneham High School, the latter also included stormwater line works.

In addition to the planned school asset maintenance and upgrade programs managed and delivered by central office, schools are also funded to undertake repairs and minor works tasks. Childcare centre service providers are responsible for ongoing and minor repairs and maintenance to childcare facilities.

Asset upgrades

In the 2012-13 Budget, funding of $13.2 million was provided for capital upgrades at schools and preschools and $0.4 million was provided for capital upgrades at childcare centres. The following projects were undertaken in 2012-13.

Older school upgrades

Major upgrade works were completed at Melba Copland Secondary School (Melba campus) in 2012-13. Major upgrade works at Hughes and Yarralumla Primary Schools were commenced during 2012-13 and will be completed in the 2013-14 reporting period.

New school facilities

An upgrade of the Fraser Primary School's transportable building to provide four classrooms and a wet area was completed for the commencement of the 2013 school year.

School refurbishments and improvements

Works were completed at 23 ACT public schools in 2012-13, including:

• glazing compliance upgrades were completed at various schools
• disability access improvements to Alfred Deakin High School and Lake Ginninderra College were completed for the start of the 2013 school year and works at Red Hill Primary School were completed in June 2013
• learning support units were created at Bonython Primary School, Stromlo and Canberra High Schools ready for the beginning of term 1, 2013
• global learning classrooms at Farrer Primary School and Melba Copland Secondary School (Melba campus) were completed during term 1, 2013
• preschool shade shelters over sand pits and play equipment were completed at various sites
• lifts were completed at the Melba Copland Secondary School (Melba campus) and Lanyon High School in January 2013 and February 2013, respectively

Childcare refurbishments and upgrade

Works were completed at various childcare centres in the 2012-13 year, including:

• outdoor play area improvements including installation of shade sails and softfall replacement covering nine centres
• electrical system safety, security and fire system upgrades at various centres
• roofing upgrades to various centres
• improvements to thermal comfort in a number of centres
• replacement floor coverings and upgrades to joinery at various centres.

Office accommodation

During the year, central office staff were located at 220 Northbourne Avenue in Braddon, the Hedley Beare Centre for Teaching and Learning in Stirling, Lyons Education Centre and Maribyrnong Primary School in Kaleen (Table C13.3).

Staff census of schools conducted in February 2013 recorded 3,640 full-time equivalent staff employed in non-office environments at ACT public school sites. Staff located at these sites included teachers, school leaders, office administrators, general service officers and building service officers.

Table C13.3: Central office sites, staff numbers (head count) and space occupied, as at 30 June 2013 ^{a,b, c, d}

For more information contact:
Director
Schools Capital Works
(02) 6205 3173